The 127th Hunger Games
by TheTributesWhoLived34
Summary: It's time for another year of the Games, and Head Gamemaker Adameus Fletcher knows he has to impress President Trekk or he'll suffer the consequences. This is the third installment in my 125th Hunger Games series, so I'd recommend reading the 125th Hunger Games and the 126th Hunger Games first. Suzanne Collins owns the Hunger Games- not me.
1. Prologue

**Adameus Fletcher (Head Gamemaker)**

Holding my weekly progress report in my hands, I snake my way through the many halls of the president's mansion, heading for the president's office. Months have passed since President Trekk warned me about making the 127th Hunger Games more exciting than ever. Since then, I've spent over twelve hours a day planning the Games with my team of Gamemakers. I've had to fire plenty of Gamemakers who haven't been enthusiastic or creative enough to suit my needs. I've hired some new ones too, and I'm very happy with my current team. I've worked with some Capitol scientists as well, who have introduced me to plenty of new technology that I can use this year. Overall, I'm satisfied with how things are going.

For the first time since I took the position of Head Gamemaker, I'm very excited to see how this year's Games will play out. Of course, I'm still anxious and nervous that the president will be unimpressed, but I'm getting more confident every day. The Games will be starting in two weeks, so I've started to wrap up most of my major projects. The arena design is almost complete, and I've developed five different types of mutts that could be used during the Games. Since the tributes will be arriving in the Capitol in about a week, the training center is complete and equipped with thousands of deadly weapons. The interviews auditorium is ready to seat hundreds of Capitol citizens, and most of the stylists have arrived to begin designing the costume their tribute will wear during the chariot rides. I couldn't be happier with how smoothly everything is running.

I reach the door to the president's office and knock three times. After he calls, "Come in," I open the door and come face-to-face with the most important man in all of Panem.

"Hello, President Trekk," I say, looking into his dull gray eyes.

"Hello, Adameus." The president smiles, and I immediately feel uneasy. There have been rumors that the president has begun to go crazy lately, and I admit that I've started to believe them. He smiles more nowadays, but it's not a warm, welcoming smile. It's a cold, devilish smile, that makes you question if he's planning to whip a knife out and murder you right on the spot.

"I have your weekly progress report," I say, trying not to look right into his eyes.

"Thank you, Adameus. You may leave it here on my desk. I would appreciate if you hurried as I have many things to work on."

I quickly place the file of papers on the president's desk and walk out of the room, closing the door behind me. I have no desire to learn what 'things' the president is working on, but my guess is they involve lots of murders and executions. Oddly enough, that's not so different from what I've been planning over the past year. And I'm sure the twenty-three murders I've been planning will be the most exciting Panem has seen in a while.

 **Hello everybody, and welcome to my newest fanfic. :-) I'm so excited to get these Games started, but I can't do that until I have tributes. :-P The details for submitting are on my profile, so once you look at those, feel free to submit your heart away. I would also recommend reading my other stories in this series (The 125th Hunger Games: The Fifth Quarter Quell and The 126th Hunger Games) before diving into this story since I plan to include POVs from the victors of both of those Games.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	2. Tribute List

**Tribute List:**

 _ **D1:**_

 **Jade Platinum** (GalacticFairydust)

 **Lumiere Rutherford** (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

 _ **D2:**_

 **Mileena Nero** (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

 **Tyroarius Striker** (Jms2)

 _ **D3:**_

 **Valerie Plasma** (GalacticFairydust)

 **Jazper Hart** (ezmonee6)

 _ **D4:**_

 **Bebe Cora** (The Girl With the Knives)

 **Micah Islan** (emimawi)

 _ **D5:**_

 **Claire Bureau** (DobbyTheFreeElf)

 **Jerry Porch** (ezmonee6)

 _ **D6:**_

 **Lexi Honda** (DobbyTheFreeElf)

 **Cole Fyre** (Ripple237)

 _ **D7:**_

 **Cleo Amorite** (fifidear)

 **Kairen Parker** (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)

 _ **D8:**_

 **Kiyata Merrow** (rougeofminds)

 **Lindroz Delt** (DashSputnik)

 _ **D9:**_

 **Circe Fog** (AaronIris34)

 **Logan Clark** (DobbyTheFreeElf)

 _ **D10:**_

 **Muna Taylor** (KittyMae98)

 **Sable Maren** (AaronIris34)

 _ **D11:**_

 **Jasmine Kingston** (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

 **Spud Wyllows** (AaronIris34)

 _ **D12:**_

 **Mindi Hostler** (jayman1919)

 **Trenton Stewart** (thebearstew)

 **Congratulations to everyone who had their tribute or tributes accepted! It was hard to turn away nearly half of the tributes, but I'm pretty happy with the group I have now. If your tribute was not accepted, it was probably for one of these reasons:**

 **-Your form wasn't detailed enough**

 **-Your form had sections missing**

 **-Your tribute was a Mary Sue/Gary Stu**

 **-Your tribute's backstory wasn't believable**

 **-There were other tributes that were similar to yours**

 **The last reason I may not have accepted your tribute is because there just wasn't enough room for him/her. I loved most of the tributes, but I unfortunately can't take everyone. Thanks to everyone who submitted, and good luck to those who have tributes entering the Games.**

 **l should have chapter one of the reapings up soon. School starts in a week, so I want to get a good head start before I have to worry about all that.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	3. The Reapings: Districts One & Two

**District One Reapings:**

 **Lumiere Rutherford**

I take a deep breath and stare at myself in the cracked mirror. I make a visual scan of my lanky body and my paper-thin arms and legs. I look malnourished and weak, which is a pretty accurate description of me. It doesn't matter, though. Nothing matters except for the fact that today is the day that I finally escape. Today I am volunteering for the Hunger Games.

Six years ago, I never would have believed that I'd actually want to go into the Games. I had the easy life back then. My father and mother were the mayor and deputy mayor of District One, and I was their only child. They earned tons of money, and spoiled me rotten. I didn't think life could get any better. I was right. One day, when I was nine, my dad gave a speech in the town square as my mom sat behind him. Halfway through the speech, the sound of two guns being fired echoed throughout the square. _Bang! Bang!_ Two bullets flew through the air and landed in my parents' heads. That day, my heart ripped in half, a sound I'm sure was louder than the guns. The two men who murdered my parents were hanged, but that did nothing to fill the giant hole in my chest.

That night, I packed a bag full of my most precious belongings and left my family's mansion. I had no intention of being shipped off to the community home in the morning; I decided I would live on the streets. My new arrangements worked for about a year. I wasn't necessarily happy or comfortable, but I knew my life would have been so much more miserable in the community home. One day, I was wandering the streets, trying to find myself dinner, when a man came up to me. The man said he was my uncle, and asked if I would like to come live with him, because that's what it said in my parents' wills. Overjoyed, I took his hand, and he led me to a small shack on the edge of the district. He took me into a room with two bunk beds and three other children. I was confused, but thought that maybe these were my cousins.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

As soon as the man left, the other kids told me what was going on. The man that led me here was a convicted sex criminal. The shack that we were in held twelve children, including me, that he sold to clients in the district for an hour, a night, or a lifetime. For the next five years, I was a part of the man's underground trafficking system. I lived a horrible life as a sex slave, with nothing to be thankful for except for the fact that I was only ever sold for an hour at a time. Although life has been terrible, I now see the light at the end of the tunnel. My days of being a slave are over. I'll be shipped to the capitol, where I'll live in luxury for a week, and when the time comes, I'll die in the Games knowing that I'm free.

"You ready to go?" my bunk mate, Stark, asks. He's sixteen, a year older than me, and he's been in this program a few months longer than I have. I look up to him in many ways. "We have to get to the reapings."

"One sec," I say, throwing on a pair of tan, cargo shorts. I also grab a green t-shirt that apparently brings out my eyes. "Okay, I'm ready. Tabitha? Venus? You coming?" I turn to my other two roommates who are fixing their hair.

"Yeah," Venus says, looking upset. Then again, she's always upset, unless she's drunk or high. Venus's dad is the man who owns the shack, so we all understand her behavior.

"Let's go," says Tabitha, the youngest and quietest in our room. She's been in the program since she was born, and she started being sold to clients at age six. She's thirteen now, and Stark and I try to look out for her the best we can.

The four of us walk outside, where the man is standing with the eight other children who live in the shack. We still haven't learned the name of 'the man,' which is smart on his behalf because we have no way to report him. Even Venus doesn't know his name, and she's his daughter. "Alright, kids," the man says. "None of you are to say a word to anyone about anything during the reaping. If I catch any of you with your mouth open at all, no meals for a day. Understand?"

"Yes, master," we all mumble.

"Alright," he says with a smile. "Then let's get going."

 **Jade Platinum**

I wake up to the delicious smell of warm bread. I rush to the kitchen and spot the giant loaf in the oven. With joy, I realize that it isn't the flat, grainy stuff the grain from my tessarae produces. It's actual bread, like something you'd get at a bakery. I whip around as my mom walks into the kitchen, a smile on her face. "I bought it at the bakery earlier, and the oven's just keeping it warm," she says when she sees me eyeing the bread. "Your dad and I thought you deserved a nice breakfast, since you're volunteering and everything. "And the bread isn't the only thing we got." She gestures to the table.

I gasp when I spot a bowl of fresh fruit salad and scrambled eggs with sausage. "Thank you!" I say, running up to my mom to hug her.

"We just want to thank you for all you've done for the family," she says. "You've gotten us extra food by signing up for tessarae, and now you're going into the Games."

"Mom, the tessarae wasn't a big deal. There's always a volunteer, so it didn't matter that my name was in extra times."

"I know," she says. "But it's brave to sign up, considering there aren't many people in the district who have to." Unlike the majority of the district, my family's pretty poor. We live in a small house on the edge of the district. We've always had enough to get by, but we haven't had enough to afford luxury items or tasty food. When I was ten years old, I decided I wanted to change our family's economic status by whatever means possible; I decided to start training for the Hunger Games. I asked my parents to sign me up for training lessons at the Academy, but they couldn't afford it. So, they sent me to a smaller training center- one that offers free lessons for poor kids like me. This training center doesn't have any expensive weapons or equipment, but the people there are great. They aren't all stuck up or snobby like the people at the Academy.

My dad walks into the kitchen with my younger sister, Luminous. "Jade!" she squeals. "I'm so excited for you! You're going to go to the Capitol and meet the president and get interviewed by Tristan Honeybee and show the Gamemakers your awesome skills and win the Hunger Games and.."

"Woah, slow down, Lumi," I say, embracing her in a hug. "I haven't won yet."

"Yeah but you're going to," she says.

"Not necessarily," I say. "I may not even beat Esmeralda to the stage." Esmeralda is from one of the richest families in District One. She trains at the Academy and teases everyone who's not rich enough to train there. She's been chosen by the Academy to volunteer this year, so I'm very excited to volunteer and hopefully take the Games away from her.

"You'll beat her, Jade," Lumi says confidently. "You've said it a million times: the seventeen-year-old section is closer to the stage than the eighteen-year-old section. As long as you don't trip or anything, you'll beat her with seconds to spare."

"Don't worry, Jade," my dad says. "You've got this."

"Who'd you say was the male volunteer this year?" Lumi asks.

"His name's Raymond Sinclair," I say. "I've never met him. Apparently, he's really big and strong, but he doesn't have much of a brain."

"Like, Mason Riley big and strong?" Lumi asks.

"No, I think he's just over six feet tall."

"Then you should be fine," my dad says. "Even if he's a little stronger than you, you'll be a whole lot smarter than him."

"Okay, enough of this Hunger Games talk," my mom interrupts. "I'm sure Jade has to get ready, so let's eat."

Fifteen minutes later, I walk back into my room, my stomach stuffed with delicious food. I head to my closet and pick out one of the nicest outfits I own- a pastel pink tank top with a tan skirt that almost reaches my knees. Once I'm dressed, I brush out my straight, blond hair and apply some makeup around my jade green eyes. I then search my closet for shoes and eventually decide on a slightly worn pair of black flats. I'd love to wear my only pair of heels, but since I need to beat Esmeralda to the stage, I'd better play it safe with the flats. Once my shoes are on, I meet the rest of my family outside. "You ready?" my dad asks.

"Of course," I reply, grinning. "I've never been more ready in my life."

We walk in silence for most of the hike. I don't mind, though, because I don't have much to say. One of the disadvantages of living on the edge of the district is we're very far away from the town square. Since we don't have a car, it takes us a long time to walk to the square. I'm sweating from head to toe by the time we arrive. My parents wish me good luck, but they hurry off quickly so they can find a place to stand. Lumi walks over to the thirteen-year-old section, and I find my way to the seventeen-year-old section, where I bump into my training friend Velvet. "Hey, Jade," she says, wrapping me into a tight hug. "How are you feeling- besides sweaty?"

"I feel great," I say, giggling. Velvet's always great at making me laugh.

Before we can say anything more, our escort walks onstage. Her name is Peony Kincardine, and she talks in one of the most obnoxious Capitol accents I've ever heard. She welcomes us all, shows us the same video she's shown us every year, and finally walks over to the glass globe of female names. She unravels the slip, and reads the name aloud.

"Florencia Opal."

"I volunteer as tribute!" Esmeralda and I scream at the same time. Realizing she wasn't the only one who spoke, Esmeralda looks over at me with a confused look on her face. When she realizes who I am, her expression turns to a look of hatred, and she begins sprinting towards the stage. Unfortunately for her, though, I'm already halfway there. Esmeralda tries to catch up to me, but she can't; she's wearing heels. I step onto the stage, panting a little but beaming proudly. "What's your name, miss?" Peony asks me.

"Jade Platinum," I say. I continue to smile as I watch two Peacekeepers pull Esmeralda away from the stage as she screams something about 'lower-class scum.'

 **Lumiere Rutherford**

Peony pretends she doesn't notice the Peacekeepers pulling the girl in heels away. I think that girl was supposed to volunteer, but Jade beat her to the stage.

"Nolan Crystal."

I didn't even see Peony pull the slip out. Luckily, I recover quickly. "I volunteer as tribute!" I say, echoing the shouts of some boy from the eighteen-year-old section. I sprint up to the stage and hear the footsteps of the other volunteer behind me. It's a good thing that the younger ages are closer to the stage, or I don't think I would have beaten the boy. I step onto the stage and look out into the crowd. They don't seem happy that a scrawny fifteen-year-old is standing onstage instead of a muscular eighteen-year-old. "And what is your name?" Peony asks, pointing the microphone towards me.

"Lumiere Rutherford," I half-mumble. It's pretty intimidating being up here with the whole square staring daggers at you.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your tributes of District One, Jade Platinum and Lumiere Rutherford!" Peony shouts.

The audience applauds, but not as loud as I know they have in the past. Jade and I are whisked away into the Justice Building and led to separate rooms. After ten minutes of sitting there, the door opens and Stark, Tabitha, and Venus walk in.

"Why'd you do it?" Tabitha wails as soon as she sees me.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I was just so sick of living like a slave. So, I freed myself."

"Yes, but at the cost of your life?" Tabitha bursts into tears and Stark attempts to comfort her.

"How'd you guys even get here?" I ask, changing the subject. "I didn't think the man would allow you to come visit me."

"He didn't allow us," Venus says. "We slipped out of the crowd as soon as you volunteered."

"But won't you be punished?"

A mischievous smile creeps onto Venus's face. "Here's the thing, Lumiere. There's tons of Peacekeepers in this building. All we have to do is get one of them to follow us back to the shack. Keeping child sex slaves is illegal, so if everything goes well, in a matter of hours, the man..." (she never refers to him as her father) "...will be hanged publicly in the square. We may finally be free. And it's all thanks to you."

For the next few minutes, Venus drills strategy into my head as Stark continues to comfort Tabitha. Too soon, they have to leave. Before they're escorted out, however, I let the Peacekeepers know of the current situation back in the shack. They agree to follow the kids back, and if they find evidence of the man's wrongdoing, they'll hang him in the square. For all I know, they could be lying, but it makes me feel better that my friends at least have a chance at freedom.

No one else visits me. Surprise, surprise. I thought the man might've come to strangle me or something, but that would be a really stupid move on his part considering that there's tons of Peacekeepers roaming about. After roughly twenty more minutes of waiting, I'm led out of the room by my escort. She tells me to enjoy my last few minutes in the district because they very well may be my last. She doesn't seem too happy that I'm her male tribute this year. Once again, I'm not surprised.

 **Jade Platinum**

My family walks into the room first, and I immediately stand up to embrace them in a group hug. "We're so proud of you," my mom whispers.

"You're so brave," my dad says. "And you're going to do such great things for this family."

"I love you guys," I say as we all sit down. "I want to do what's best for the family, and this could be our ticket out of poverty."

"Jade, if you win, we'll be able to afford so much cool stuff," Lumi says. "Like dresses, and diamond jewelry, and donuts from the bakery, and a giant t.v., and pretty shoes, and hot chocolate, and..."

I zone out as Lumi continues to list all of the expensive things we could buy. As our time together ticks away too quickly, my parents thank me and wish me good luck countless more times. Lumi says she'll miss me, and even though she tends to get on my nerves, I know I'll really miss her too. When the Peacekeeper walks in to take my family away, we hug each other one last time. "I love you guys!" I shout as they're led out.

Next, Velvet comes in, along with my other friends from training, Audrina and Ruby. These three are the ones who have helped me fine tune my strategy for the Games. "Okay, Jade," Audrina begins. "Let's go over your plan one more time."

"Okay," I say. "Well, first I'm going to ally with the careers."

"And for what reasons?" Ruby asks.

"Because if I didn't, there would be a huge target on my back since I'm a volunteer from One. And, I'd be able to take advantage of the food and supplies at the cornucopia."

"Good," Audrina says. "Now how long are you going to stay with the careers?"

"For two or three days. When I'm ready to make the split, I'll volunteer to stay back at our camp to watch the stuff. Then, when the others are out tribute hunting, I'll slip away with a few bags."

"Good," Audrina says again. "What are you going to do after that?"

"I'll hide out in the woods or something. If someone comes across me, I'll kill them, but only if it's necessary. I'll remain hidden as long as I can. That way, the careers can get rid of some other tributes, and hopefully, they'll eventually self destruct. If there's a feast, I'll go if I need the food or supplies or if all of the major threats are gone."

"And then what will you do for the rest of the Games?" Audrina asks.

"I'll improvise," I say. "I won't do anything too risky, but I'll do what I have to do to win."

"Okay, you're ready," Audrina says, hugging me. "We're so excited for you."

"You can do this," Velvet says. "You're smarter than all of them, and you've got the best strategy."

"We're going to miss you so much," says Ruby. "Please make it back to us."

"I'll try, don't worry," I assure her.

"We made something for you," Ruby says. "Do you have a district token?"

"No. I completely forgot to grab something this morning."

"Good," Ruby says. "That means you can use this as your token." She pulls a beaded bracelet out of her pocket.

"Oh my gosh, guys," I say as I take the bracelet. "It's beautiful. Thanks so much."

"We all made one for ourselves as well," Velvet says. "We figured yours would serve as a reminder of us."

"Whenever you're feeling lost out there in the Games, let it remind you of your strategy," Audrina says.

"Thank you guys so much," I say again. "I'm going to miss you." We embrace in one final group hug. A few seconds later, a Peacekeeper walks in, breaking up our huddle. "Bye!" I shout as they're led out. The Peacekeeper slams the door and I'm left alone once more.

 **District Two Reapings**

 **Tyroarius Stryker**

"Ty? Tyroarius? You awake?" I open my eyes to see a pair of bright blue ones right over my face.

"Pheobe? What are you doing? Get off of me?"

"I wasn't on you," my fourteen-year-old sister says, stepping back. "I was just leaning over you."

"Yeah, but it's not polite to be in someone else's personal space."

"Sorry," she says. "But breakfast is ready and Mom told me to come get you. You do want to get some training in before the reapings, right?"

"I guess so," I say. "Now get out of here. I have to get dressed." Once she's left my room, I put on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. I throw my reaping clothes in my training bag; I'll just get dressed for the reapings at the training center in the Academy.

I run downstairs and shove some toast and croissants in my mouth. "Are you heading to the Academy?" my mom asks as I shovel the food down. I nod, still chewing. "Okay," she says. "Are you going to stop back here before the reapings?" I shake my head. "Good luck, then," she says giving me a hug. "Make sure you get to that stage first."

"Fanks," I say, accidentally spitting out some toast. I grab my bag and run out the door. Fifteen minutes later, I arrive at the Academy. I've come to really love this place. I quit school when I was sixteen to focus on my training, so I spend eight hours a day here, six days per week. As soon as I open the door, my training partner, Delius, greets me. Delius is ranked third for our age, so we're pretty evenly matched. We get straight to work, focusing on our four favorite weapons: sickles, spears, spiked clubs, and throwing knives. A few instructors surround us to give us tips, but there's not much for them to say. I've devoted my whole life to training for the Games, so I know what I'm doing.

After two hours of training, we decide to call it a day. Delius and most of the instructors head home to get ready for the reapings, while I remain to work a little bit more on knives. I'm just about to pack up all the weapons when Mason Riley steps through the door. "Hey, Tyroarius," he says. "You ready for the reapings?"

"Of course," I say, grinning. Mason and I have trained together at the Academy since we were very little. Even though we aren't necessarily close friends, I have had many conversations with him through the years. I mean, we're back-to-back volunteers (soon to be back-to-back victors) so we've definitely had our interactions. Since he's going to be my mentor this year, it's good that we know each other well.

Mason and I have a short talk about the upcoming Games, but he's soon forced to take off since he has to arrive early to the reapings. Once he's gone, I grab my bag and head into the locker rooms. I change into a red polo shirt and a pair of khakis, and then deposit my bag in a locker. I don't need it anymore. I walk back into the training center and take one last look at everything. It's hard to believe that this could be my last time in here. I don't think it will be, though. I'm sure I've got more training than all of the other careers combined.

I step through the training center doors and begin walking outside. I've only made it a few steps when someone grabs me from behind and shouts, "Boo!" I whip around and see my girlfriend, Amphrite, laughing at my apparently shocked face. "I got you!" she says.

"No you didn't," I say, smiling. I swoop down for a short kiss. "What are you doing here?" I ask, changing the subject.

"I wanted to walk with you to the reapings," she says. "And I knew I could find you here." She smiles, but I know that it's not a real one.

"What's up?" I ask her.

"I'm just nervous," she says, grabbing my hand and squeezing it tightly. "I know you've trained hard and everything, but what if something goes wrong out there? What if you don't make it back?"

"Amphrite Rose Carroll," I begin. "I swear on my life that I will find my way back to you."

Amphrite giggles. "You sound like my parents when you say my full name like that," she says. "I feel like I'm in trouble."

"You are in trouble," I say, "for worrying too stinking much."

Amphrite laughs again, and I lean down to kiss her for the second time. We're only seconds into the kiss when the reaping bells ring. "To be continued?" I ask her, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll see you in the Justice Building," she says with a mischievous grin. I take her hand, and together, we head for the square.

 **Mileena Nero**

 _"Jessie Harte, huh? Well, never mind. I'm only seventeen. I'll volunteer next year."_

Those are the words I spoke exactly one year ago at the reapings. I received a lot of grief for those words. The directors at the Academy almost didn't let me volunteer this year since last year was supposed to be my year. But they saw sense eventually, so choosing not to volunteer was definitely worth it. Being home for one more year gave me tons more time to train. I'm now twice as deadly as I was last year. And even better, I got to see Jessie Harte die, knowing that her death happened all because of me. She deserved to die, though- not only because of what she did to her twin, but also because of what she did to my brother.

My brother Lewis was born when I was three years old. As I held my baby brother in my hands, I became overjoyed by the fact that I now had someone I could protect. I loved him so much, and he loved me too. He grew up to be such a cheerful young boy. When he was seven, on the first day of the new school year, he came home bursting with excitement. He told me that the teacher seated him next to a really pretty girl who he thought he might have a crush on. The girl's name was Anjie Harte.

Lewis had a crush on Anjie for the whole school year. Then, one day during summer break, we turned on the t.v. to an interesting news story. The story was about a seven-year-old girl who had murdered her twin by pushing her out of a tree. When Lewis realized that it was Anjie who had been killed by her twin, he kind of lost it. Since he was so young, he had no idea how to deal with the death, so he spiraled into a constant state of depression that has only gotten worse over the years. He's never been the same since Anjie died, so when Jessie was reaped last year, I was happy to let her go into the Games. It's her fault that my brother's all screwed up. She deserved to die.

"Mileena, time for breakfast!" my mom shouts up to me.

"One minute, Mom," I shout back. "I need to get dressed!" Since I've already gotten some early morning training in, I put on my reaping clothes- a red dress with cap sleeves, red heels, and a black belt. I also grab my dad's dog tags off of my dresser- my district token. My dad was a Peacekeeper, but he died when I was thirteen. He was publicly whipping someone in the square when the father of the person being whipped pulled a knife on him. The man stabbed him in the chinks of his armor, killing him. This death really affected me because my father and I used to be very close. Whenever I had a problem, I would go to him. I loved him so much, so when he died, I cried for days. His dog tags have always helped me remember him, so I tuck them into my dress, leaving the chain showing.

I walk downstairs to the dining room, where my mom and brother have already started eating. "We would have waited, but the pancakes were getting cold," my mom says.

"Whatever," I say, rolling my eyes. I pile some pancakes, butter, and syrup onto my plate and dig in. The food is delicious, but I know the food in the Capitol is going to be even better. I can't wait to visit the Capitol. I've heard it's beautiful there. I'm so happy that I'll get to live in luxury for almost a week before competing in the Games. In fact, I don't know which I'm more excited to be in- the Capitol or the Hunger Games.

Once I'm done with the pancakes, I grab a cream filled donut. Just as I'm about to eat it, the reaping bells ring, so I'm forced to eat it as we walk. Somehow, I manage to make it to the square without getting a single drop of cream on me. I make my way over to the eighteen-year-old section where I find my friend and sidekick, Anastasia. Anastasia is gorgeous, with jet black hair, tawny skin, and warm brown eyes. She's easily the prettiest girl at our school, and when she wants to be, she can be super sweet. Many people find it hard to believe that she's just as conniving and manipulative as I am.

For the next few minutes, Anastasia and I have a conversation about how excited we are for the Games. As we talk, I spot my friends Crystalline, Bridget and Diana. Unfortunately, they're all seventeen, so all we can do is wave to each other. Finally, our escort steps onstage. Her name's Hepeta Joeson, and she's one of the most enthusiastic people I've ever seen. Even though she was transferred here from District Six over a year ago, she still goes on a rant about how much better District Two is compared to District Six. Once she's done with her rant, she shows us the video from the Capitol, and finally, she prepares to draw the female name.

"Cecilia Barron."

"I volunteer as tribute!" I dash up to the stage before anyone else decides that they want to volunteer. Once I reach her, Hepeta asks me my name. "Mileena Nero," I say.

"Well congratulations, Mileena," Hepeta says. "Now let's find out who your district partner's going to be."

 **Tyroarius Stryker**

"Chassius Herald."

"I volunteer as tribute!" I shout, barreling my way through the crowd and towards the stage.

"And what might your name be?" Hepeta asks.

"Tyroarius Stryker," I say confidently.

"Let's give a huge round of applause for this year's District Two tributes, Mileena Nero and Tyroarius Stryker!"

The crowd roars with applause. They seem excited that District Two will probably have two victors in a row. I have to say, I do look plenty intimidating, so I can understand why they're already crowning me as the victor. Eventually, the crowd calms down, and Hepeta leads Mileena and I into separate rooms in the Justice Building. I wait there for a few minutes until finally, my first visitors come in.

"Tyroarius!" Pheobe squeals as she runs towards me. "You did it! You did it!"

"Congratulations," my mom says as she slides in after Pheobe, next to my dad. "You're going to do great in the Games. I can just tell."

"I'm not just going to do great," I say. "I'm going to win."

"That's right," says my dad. "You're going to be the strongest one out there, so becoming victor should be nice and easy."

For the next few minutes, my dad drills me on strategy: 'stick with the careers, be a powerhouse, get lots of sponsors, blah blah blah.' When the Peacekeeper walks in to take my family away, I give them each one final hug, and then the Peacekeeper leads them out.

My next visitors are my friends Delius and Xavier. For their whole visit, they basically just rant about how exciting it is that I'm going to the Capitol to compete in the Games. "You're going to meet so many famous people," Delius tells me. "Like Tristan Honeybee, President Trekk, and Adameus Fletcher. That's not to mention all of the past victors you'll meet."

"Yeah, you're going to have such a great time," Xavier says. "And then, you're going to go into the Games and totally kick butt out there."

"Yeah, I can't wait," I say. "It's going to be pretty cool."

Once my friends leave, my girlfriend walks through the door. "Amphrite!" I say. "What a surprise!"

She rolls her eyes. "Like I'd miss saying goodbye to you." She jumps into my arms and we start to kiss. It becomes a wet kiss as tears begin to drip down her cheeks.

"What's up?" I ask her, breaking away.

"I'm just going to miss you so much," Amphrite sniffles.

"I'm going to miss you too," I say. "But I promise you, I'll be back in a month. I love you, Amphrite."

"I love you too," she whispers, and we start making out again. I lose track of time, and too soon, a Peacekeeper comes in to break us up.

"I promise I'll make it back to you!" I shout to Amphrite as she's led out the door. "I swear on my life!"

 **Mileena Nero**

My mother and brother walk into the room first. They sit down, and my brother begins to stare out the window. I don't think he feels like saying anything. To break up the silence, my mom makes some comments about how proud she is of me, but overall, the visit is pretty awkward. Right before they're led out of the room, my mom wishes me good luck and says she hopes I make it home. My brother simply mumbles, "Bye."

Next, my best friend and training partner Crystalline comes in. Crystalline is very artistic; she's always doodling in the margins of her homework and tests. During her visit, Crystalline mainly spits out advice for the Games. I try to listen, but I already know everything she's telling me. We were training partners, so we both already know the right way to approach the Games.

Anastasia visits next. She spends her time spitting out advice on how to get sponsors. "Make sure you get a high training score," she says. "That's an absolute must. And, make sure you nail your interview. People need to like you, but be scared of you at the same time."

Diana's visit is... _interesting_. Diana is a pretty girl, but it's a different kind of pretty. She's tall with curly red hair and bright green eyes. She's also kind of... _wide_. "I have a confession to make," she says when she walks in. "You made me bulimic."

"I made you _what_?" I say. I have no idea what she's talking about.

"You made me bulimic," she repeats. "It's an eating disorder that makes me throw up food after I eat it."

"How did I make you... _bulimic_?" I ask.

"Remember when I was at your house two years ago and we baked cookies? I got dough all over my shirt so you offered to get me a shirt to change into from upstairs. You returned holding one of your _dad's_ old shirts. When I asked you why you hadn't gotten one of your shirts, you said, ' _Don't be silly, Diana. You could never fit into one of my shirts. You're too big._ '"

"So?" I say. "I was just stating a fact."

"That's it, Mileena!" she says standing up. "You don't give a damn about anyone else's feelings! You only care about yourself!" She storms out of the room and slams the door. I wonder what's up her butt. I didn't do anything wrong. She needs to grow thicker skin.

Oddly enough, Bridget's visit is even weirder. Like me, Bridget also trains at the Academy, and she's one of the most talented seventeen-year-old girls there. The trainers are considering letting her volunteer next year, so she's excited by the fact that we could be back-to-back victors. With her blond hair and aqua blue eyes, Bridget is a very beautiful girl. Her looks attract a lot of male attention, but unfortunately for them, Bridget isn't into boys. She's a closeted lesbian. A year ago, she left a note in my mailbox, telling me her secret. I'm the only one who knows, and I haven't told a single soul.

Bridget walks in and sits next to me. For a few seconds, she doesn't say anything, but eventually, she begins speaking. "I have something to tell you, Mileena," she says, her voice a little shaky.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Well, for a while, I've had a crush on this girl. She's very pretty and talented and funny. I haven't told anyone about my secret crush, but I think it's time to let you know." She takes a deep breath. "Mileena, you're the girl I have a crush on. I like you, and I really want to be with you. I know you're going off to the Games, but I figured I'd let you know just in case you want to..." She trails off and starts learning towards me. She closes her eyes, and only then do I realize what she's trying to do.

"Bridget!" I shriek, slapping her in the face. "I don't like you like that! We're just friends!"

"But I thought you might have feelings for me," she says, looking hurt. "We spend a lot of time together, and you seem to enjoy it."

"Yeah, but not like that!"

"Oh," Bridget says with a sad look on her face. She stops talking, and an awkward silence fills the air. "Well, I think I'm just going to... um... go now."

"Bye," I say, looking out the window as she heads for the door. No one else visits me, so for the next few minutes, I just sit there wondering- why are all my friends so weird?

 **Two down, ten to go! This chapter ended up being a lot longer than I expected, so I'm only going to do two districts per chapter instead of three like I did last year. Even though the POVs got a little long, I hope you enjoyed hearing from Jade, Lumiere, Mileena, and Tyroarius.**

 **Unlike some authors, I'm not a review Nazi. Even though reviews are definitely appreciated, feel free to leave them as often or as seldom as you like. If you have a tribute/tributes in this story, just make sure that you do leave a review every once in a while so that I know you're still reading.**

 **Speaking of Nazis, for all you grammar Nazis out there (like me), feel free to let me know of any errors/problems you see. Even though I always triple check my writing, I still miss things, so don't be afraid to inform me of any issues so that I can fix them.**

 **School starts in three days, but since I dropped a sport this year, I'm going to have much more time to write. I'm not going to promise anything, but I'm hoping I'll be able to do weekly (maybe even twice weekly) updates.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	4. The Reapings: Districts Three & Four

**District Three Reapings:**

 **Jazper Hart**

 _Today I must go to the reaping_

 _And watch as a kid starts weeping_

 _He might try to flee_

 _I hope it's not me_

 _'Cause then the district I'll be leaving_

No, no that's not good. 'Leaving' doesn't even rhyme with 'reaping' and 'weeping.' And the last line's just awkward. I rip the paper out of my notebook, crumple it up, and throw it in my growing pile of crappy poems. It's hard to think on reaping day, but writing poetry usually calms me. I pick up my pencil and start writing another limerick.

 _I need some good luck today_

 _Or I will be taken away_

 _I'll compete in the Games_

 _Be swallowed by flames_

 _Or maybe I'll be Career prey_

Eh, it's not my best work, but it'll have to do. I want _something_ in my notebook from before the reapings. Unfortunately, the creative juices aren't flowing right now. "Jazper! Time for breakfast!" my mom calls down the hall.

"Coming!" I shout back. I grab my poetry notebook and my pen and walk down the hall to the kitchen.

"Hey Jazper," my mom says as I walk in. She spots my notebook and asks, "How's the poetry coming along?"

"I've had better days," I say. I'm open with my mom about my poetry because she's the one who taught me about it a few years ago. She's the absolute best poet I know. All she has to do is pick up a pen, and the magic starts flowing from her head to the paper.

"Well, it's reaping day," my mom says, walking over to kiss me on the top of the head. "I can understand if your poetry is a little off today. It's a scary day."

My mom and I have always been close, and it's not just because our shared love of poetry. Since my dad's never around and my sister doesn't really care about me, I come to my mom whenever I have problems, which is usually every day after school. The kids there bully me- both physically and emotionally. I'm constantly reminded how weak I am, how small I am, how much of a nerd I am, blah blah blah. Thankfully, I have something I use to escape the constant taunting- poetry. Over the years, I've started to ignore the name calling. It doesn't bother me much anymore. The hitting and punching- yeah, that still hurts, but I've become better at evading the bullies.

"Would you like some breakfast?" my mom asks. "I just finished cooking up some eggs and bacon."

"Of course," I say, sitting down. My family's always been financially stable, so we can afford things like eggs and bacon on special occasions. We're not necessarily rich, but we've had enough to live comfortably. We live in a simple one story house, and we're happy with that.

Once I'm done eating, I walk back into my room to dress in my reaping clothes: a faded green shirt, brown pants, and dark brown shoes. After making sure my shirt's tucked in, I head back to the kitchen where my mother, father, and older sister, Coryn, are waiting for me. "Ready, son?" my father asks.

"Yes," I say. "Let's get this over with."

I open the door and bump right into my best friend Teagan. "Hey, Jazper," she says. "I just wanted to say hi before the reapings, but it looks like you guys are already on your way there."

"Yeah," I say, "but you can walk down to the square with us."

"Okay," she says. "I'll go ask my mom." She turns around and sprints down the street towards her house. I'm very glad that I have Teagan as a friend. I met her through poetry; I was working on a poem one day at school when she peeked over my shoulder and commented on it. She's always been there to stick up for me whenever the bullies give me problems.

Teagan reappears a minute later. "She says I can go with you guys," she gasps, out of breath.

"Awesome," I say. "Let's go."

 **Valerie Plasma**

"Three... Two... One... Ready or not, here I come!" I open my eyes and begin searching the alley for my friends, Fusion and Deanna, and my brother Logan. I sneak up and down the few alleyways we agreed to be "fair game" with my eyes peeled. "Found you Logan!" I shout when I spot his green shirt peeking out from behind a dumpster.

"Dang it," Logan says as he steps out, purposely kicking the dumpster. "I knew I should've picked a less obvious spot." Logan and I have always been competitive with each other, and he hates losing to me. He never says no to a game of hide and seek, even though my friends and I are three years younger than him.

"You think?" I say sarcastically. "The mayor could probably hide better than you, and he's three times your size."

Logan mutters something about how annoying I am and slinks off. One down, two to go. I return to my search, trying to find either Deanna or Fusion. It takes a few minutes, but I finally spot my next victim. "Fusion, I see you," I say. He doesn't move; he thinks I'm bluffing. "You're curled up in a ball in the corner behind the clothesline."

Slowly, he lifts his head up and looks at me. "Was I the last to be found?"

"No, you're the second. I still need to find Deanna."

"Okay, I'll follow you," he says. "I have no idea where she is."

I resume my search, checking every nook and cranny for Deanna. A few minutes later, Fusion and I hear a loud _crash_ in the alleyway straight ahead of us. "What was that?" Fusion asks, his eyes wide.

"Scared, Fusion?" I ask. "Are you going to start crying? Calling for your mommy? Asking for your bottle?"

"Says the one who I scared to death last year when I pulled that prank on you," Fusion fires back. "Remember? I tricked you into believing that your house was haunted."

I roll my eyes. "Don't worry. I'll get you back for that _eventually_."

Fusion and I jump as we hear the noise a second time. Before I can consider turning around, however, a gray cat slinks out of the alley. Fusion sighs in relief. "It was only a cat. Thank goodness," he says.

We find Deanna about five minutes later. She's wedged in between the walls of two houses. Some people tell Deanna and I that we should be sisters- not because we look alike but because we have very similar personalities. We're both brutally honest, and neither of us are afraid to speak our minds. Because of this, neither of us have attracted many friends, but we don't mind because we have each other, and we have Fusion.

Just as we're starting to wonder if we should find Logan and begin another round, I hear my mom calling my name from our house. "Valerie!" she shouts. "Valerie! Can you come here please?"

"Sure!" I shout back. My friends and I navigate through a few alleyways and come to a stop right in front of my house. "What do you need?" I ask my mom as she stands in the doorway.

"It's time for breakfast, sweetie," she says.

"But I already ate," I say. "Can I hang out with Fusion and Deanna for a little longer?"

"You still need to shower and get dressed," my mom says. "Unless you plan on wearing that to the reapings." She motions to my dirty, green t-shirt and my ripped jean shorts. "And I'm sure Fusion and Deanna have to get ready as well."

"Yeah, my mom will be wondering where I am," says Fusion. "I'll see you guys later."

"I should go too," Deanna says. "Bye!" She turns around and follows Fusion down the road towards their houses.

I walk upstairs and quickly shower off all of the grime and filth I accumulated this morning by hanging out in the alleyways. Once I'm done, I towel off and dress for the reapings. I throw on a loose, red dress with spaghetti straps that falls right above my knees. I accessorize with a pair of black wedge sandals and a charm bracelet that my parents gave to me when I was born. This bracelet is very special because each year, on my birthday, my parents give me a new charm as a present. I have accumulated fifteen charms, and my sixteenth one should be coming in just a few months.

Once I'm all set, I walk back downstairs to the kitchen. My mom's putting all of our uneaten breakfast into the fridge. I manage to snag a blueberry muffin, but my mom does catch me."Didn't you say you already ate?" my mom asks, raising an eyebrow.

"That doesn't mean I'm not hungry now," I protest. My mom just chuckles.

"Your father and brother should be down in a few minutes," she says. "Then, we can head to the reapings."

Sure enough, they appear in the kitchen soon, all ready to go. The four of us head out the door and begin our walk to the square. We don't live that far away, so we're there before the reaping bells even ring. I enter the fifteen-year-old section and stand by myself. Since Deanna is sixteen and Fusion's a boy, I don't have any friends to talk to. Finally, after what seems like forever, our escort, Adelina Pop, steps onto the stage.

Adelina welcomes us (which is ironic considering that we all live in this district and she doesn't) and shows us the rebellion video. After a few more boring minutes, she's ready to draw the name. Adelina reaches into the girls' glass globe and picks a single slip out.

"Valerie Plasma."

Great. Freaking perfect. I only had four slips in there. How could I have been reaped? As I walk up towards the stage, my thoughts shift from annoyance to fear. I realize that I'm going to die. I'm going to die at the hands of some stupid career who has trained his or her whole life for this. I'll be tortured and die as my family and friends watch me, knowing that I'll never make it home.

I shake off these thoughts as I approach the stage. I can't let myself think like that, or I'll die in the bloodbath. It sounds crazy, but maybe I do have a small chance of winning. I mean, I've grown up in the smartest district in Panem, so I'm obviously not stupid. Plus, I'm pretty athletic for someone from District Three. I've spent my entire life sneaking around in the alleyways, so I'm definitely stealthy. And, my childhood fights/wrestling matches with Logan have made me strong. Maybe I'm not such a gonner after all.

I reach the stage and stare up at Adelina. "Congratulations, Valerie," she gushes. "How does it feel to represent the district?"

"It feels fan-freaking-tastic," I say sarcastically. "I can't _wait_ to show Panem how _strong_ this district is by dying at the hands of some Career- like every other tribute from District Three in Hunger Games history."

 **Jazper Hart**

Once Adelina has gotten over Valerie's snappy remark, she turns to the male bowl. She picks a name and reads it aloud.

"Jazper Hart."

No, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening. My insides squirm around, and I immediately feel sick. Somehow, I begin moving up towards the stage as the district stares at me. They know I have no chance of winning. They know I will die. I reach the stage and Adelina asks me the same question she asked Valerie. "Jazper, how does it feel to represent the district?"

I'm pretty sure I'll puke if I open my mouth, so I just shake my head. "Okay, then," Adelina says. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you your tributes of District Three, Valerie Plasma and Jazper Hart!" As soon as the audience is done clapping, Adelina escorts us into the Justice Building. I'm led into a room with tons of fancy furniture in it, where I sit in silence for a few minutes. At last, my first visitors enter.

My mom, my dad, and my older sister Coryn burst through the doors. "Jazper, we're so sorry this happened to you," my mom says, squeezing me into a hug. Tears begin to creep down her face.

"I'm okay, Mom," I say. "I'm okay."

As I hug my mom, my dad decides to drill me with information. He tells me to work on survival skills during training and to impress the Gamemakers with that. He tells me to grab nothing at the bloodbath and just run away. Then, I should just hide out for the rest of the Games. "Don't give up son," he says. "If the dice all roll your way, you can do this."

Then, Coryn, who has kept a strong face this entire time, begins to break down and cry. "I'm going to miss you, Jazper," she says. "I love you."

"I love you too," I say. At that moment a Peacekeeper bursts into the room to take my family away. I give them each one final hug, and then, the Peacekeeper forces them out.

A few minutes later, the door opens again and Teagan runs in. "Jazper!" she shouts as she nearly tackles me in a hug. "I can't believe this happened to you."

"Me either," I say.

She pulls out of the hug. "Now Jazper," she begins, "I'm sure your dad's already pounded you with strategy, so I'm only going to remind you of one thing: you know how to use a slingshot. That's more than what most of the other tributes know how to use."

I realize that she's right; I can't believe I didn't think of that. During our free time, when Teagan and I aren't writing poetry, we often play a game we call "sharp shooting." Basically, we take our slingshots (which we made out of sticks and spare cloth) and some rocks and try to hit things- usually, the trashcan outside my house. "I realize it's not a huge disadvantage, but at least you have something," Teagan says.

For the rest of the visit, Teagan just tells me how much she'll miss me and how she hopes I make it back to District Three. Too soon, the Peacekeeper comes in to take her away. "Bye, Teagan!" I shout as she's led out the door. "I'm going to miss you!"

"Bye, Jazper!" she shouts back, but then the door shuts and I'm left alone again.

 **Valerie Plasma**

Fusion and Deanna walk into the room first. Fusion starts cracking some jokes to lighten up the mood, but honestly, I don't feel like listening to jokes right now. Deanna obviously feels the same way, so she begins giving me some advice.

"Get yourself some good, strong allies," she says. "Work on both weapons and survival skills during training. You're smart and you're athletic; that's already a deadly combination. Don't come across as mean or insensitive during your interview. Instead, use your sarcasm and show everyone your firey spirit because I think sponsors will really like that. During the Games, avoid the careers. Use your survival skills training to keep yourself alive, and kill only when it's necessary. If you do all that, I think you have a great shot at victory."

"Thanks, Deanna," I say. "I promise, I'll try to remember all of that."

"I'm going to miss you so much," Deanna says.

"Me too," says Fusion. "Who are we going to play with in the alleys now?"

"Hopefully, in a few months, it'll be me, but for now, you're just going to have to find someone else."

A Peacekeeper bangs open the door, making us all jump. "Time's up," he says. He leads Fusion and Deanna out as they wave at me with sad expressions on their faces. The door closes, and I wait for my next visitors.

To no surprise, my family walks through the door next. My mom immediately runs over to embrace me in a hug. "Valerie," she says. "I'm so sorry that this happened. The chances of you being reaped were so small; I never thought it would actually happen."

"Me neither," I say. "But it's not my fault or your fault. It's the stupid Capitol's fault. Dumb President Trekk is probably sitting in his office right now as he-"

My mom cuts me off. "Shhh," she whispers into my ear. "They could have the room bugged."

"Oh yeah," I say. "Sorry." My mom's very touchy on the topic of speaking out against the Capitol. When I was little, I would blab to everyone about how much I hated the Capitol, so my mom had to figure out a way to shut me up. It took a while, but I eventually understood that the Capitol would kill me if they found out about my loud mouth.

"Just think about it," Logan says. "If you win the Hunger Games, I'll never be able to top that. I'll forever be inferior to you. Use that as your motivation."

I smile. "Thanks, Logan," I say. "I'll keep that in mind."

"But seriously," he says, "you do have a good chance of winning. You're very competitive, and I think that'll be one of your greatest assets."

"He's right," says my dad. "You can win this, Valerie. We believe in you and we love you."

Eventually, the Peacekeeper walks in to take my family away. "Bye! I love you!" I shout as they're led out. The door slams and I'm left by myself.

 **District Four Reapings:**

 **Micah Islen**

 _Beep! Beep! Beep!_

My alarm clock blares to life. I consider hitting the 'snooze' button, but I remember that I told Slate I'd be at the training center at seven o'clock sharp. He wants to get some last-minute training in before he volunteers today. I don't blame him. Out of the three career districts, District Four is normally the weakest, so it's about time we send in some competition. These past few years have been especially rough. We haven't produced a victor in about ten years. And, during the past two years, we haven't even had a single final eight tribute. It's kind of embarrassing, so I hope Slate will break the streak.

I tiptoe downstairs and grab an apple before heading out the door. During my walk to the training center, my mind runs wild. I'm a bit bummed that this will be my last day training with Slate. Although, if all goes well, Slate will be back in a month. Since I'm seventeen, I'm planning on volunteering next year, as long as I'm still in the top of my age group. Even though I'm not really a fan of the Games, I still want to volunteer- mostly because I don't want to live a dull life. If I don't volunteer, I'll get some worthless job in the district, and that'll be that. I don't want to live a life that's already been planned for me. I want to live my own life.

The second reason I'm planning on volunteering is because my parents would probably kill me if I didn't. Both of my them had dreams of winning the Games when they were eighteen. Unfortunately for them, though, those dreams were crushed into a million bite sized pieces. My dad was ranked number two at the training center, so he missed volunteering by one spot. My mom actually was number one, but someone else beat her to the stage on reaping day- a girl that ended up winning. Over the years, my parents have become even more perfect for each other; they're bitter, jealous, and nasty. All they care about is getting their only son all the glory and fame that they didn't get. But honestly, I don't care about the glory or the fame. All I care about is living an exciting life, no matter what the cost.

Just as I'm reaching the doors of the training center, a hand grabs me and pulls me to the side of the building. Thankfully, I realize that it's Slate before I attack. Immediately, I notice that something's wrong. His eyes are bright red, and huge, dark circles shadow them. Slate never cries, so I'm very taken aback by his appearance. "What's up, Slate?" I ask him.

"I'm sick of all this," he begins quietly. "I'm sick of training, I'm sick of my parents pressuring me, I'm sick of all of it!" He kicks the side of the building and then grabs my shoulders. "Micah, I can't do this. I can't volunteer. I know it's not the same way for you, but I'd rather life a boring life out here in District Two than die on public television."

"Calm down, Slate," I say. "You're not going to die. The trainers picked you for a reason."

"Yes, but what about the last twenty boys and girls they picked? They were all told they'd be victors, but they died. Every last one of them. And if I go into the Hunger Games, I'm going to die too."

"So, what are you saying?" I ask.

"I'm scared," he says, his bloodshot eyes bulging. "I don't want to die, so I'm not volunteering."

"So are you going to tell Monroe he can volunteer?" I ask, naming the eighteen-year-old who's ranked second.

"Are you kidding?" he says. "Monroe's a bloodthirsty brat. All he cares about is screen time and murdering people. He's basically a psychopath, and we can't give him the satisfaction of going into the Games. He'll ruin the image of District Four."

"So, you want me to volunteer?" I ask, finally understanding.

Slate takes a deep breath. "Yes," he says. "I want you to volunteer. I mean, you're planning on doing it next year, so why not just do it a year early?"

"I don't know," I say. "I don't think I'm prepared enough. I'll probably end up dying."

"Yeah, but you said yourself that you'd rather die than life a life of boredom and monotony. At least you'd get to go out with a bang. But honestly, the Capitol would love you. You're friendly, funny, strong, smart-"

"Yeah," I interrupt. "But that's not what a normal District Four tribute is like. For crying out loud, I don't even want to ally with the Careers! I hate the Careers! They're bloodthirsty idiots who have no morals whatsoever!"

"Micah, I think the Capitol will like you even more for that," he says. "You're unique. You don't fit the normal District Four mold. That's something to be proud of."

"I just don't know," I say as I massage my temples.

"Micah, look at me," Slate says. "I'm not volunteering. And if I don't volunteer, either Monroe or some weakling will go into the Games. My family and the whole rest of district will despise me for the rest of my life. You have do to this- for yourself and for me."

I think it over for a few seconds. "Won't your family hate you whether I agree to take your place or not?" I say. "Either way you're not volunteering."

"I was getting to that," he says. "If you decide to volunteer, I'll volunteer too, but I'll purposely let you beat me to the stage. That way, no one will hate me."

"But won't the district hate me for taking your spot?" I ask.

"Are you kidding?" he says. "You're twice as strong as I am. As soon as you get into the Games and start kicking butt, they'll love you."

I put my head in my hands, thinking hard. He does have a valid argument. I just don't know if I'm really ready to volunteer. "I'll think about it," I say. "I promise. I just need some time." I pause for a second. "I think I'm going to head home. I'll see you at the reapings."

"Wait- don't you want to train?" he asks.

"I'm not in the mood," I say, turning away. "I have a big decision to make."

 **Bebe Cora**

"Go!" my trainer shouts, starting his stopwatch. Quick as a flash, I begin to sprint as fast as I can, using every last ounce of strength that I have. It's my final day of training today, so I need to beat my record. I have to be in tip top shape for the Games. "Done!" my trainer shouts as I cross the finish line. I collapse to the group and start gasping for air.

"What was my time?" I manage to choke out.

"Exactly 12.3 seconds," he says. I groan. My record is 12.0 seconds, and I really want to get under that.

"Can I try one more time?" I ask.

"Bebe, you've already tried the one hundred meter dash four times today," he says. "You're tiring yourself out. You have other training to do this morning," he says. "We still have to do one last psychology test and one more sword fighting session."

"Please?" I plead. "One more time?"

"If we get done with everything in time, then yes," he says.

"Fine," I say. We walk over to the psychology and intelligence testing unit. This machine was only installed six years ago- and it was installed because of me. From a very young age, I've been trained in psychology because I'm exceptionally good at it. In fact, I'm more intelligent than 95% of District Three teens my age. I also have an excellent memory, which doesn't hurt either. When I was eleven, they shipped the testing unit in from District Three- simply because I was too smart to be tested by the District Four trainers. They needed some computerized help.

Anyways, I was trained only in psychology until I turned twelve. Since I had plans to volunteer in the Games when I got older, the trainers thought it was time I learned how to use some weapons. I tried throwing knives, spears, maces, axes, and tridents, but nothing clicked. I wasn't necessarily horrible, but I hovered slightly below average with everything. Eventually, though, I discovered sword fighting. Because of my speed and quickness, I turned out to be a fairly good swordsman. I wasn't the best in the training center, but I believe I was in the top twenty five percent.

When I was about fifteen, the trainers began considering who they were going to let volunteer. We were tested in six topics: close-range weaponry, far-range weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, intelligence/strategy, speed/agility, and knowledge/survival skills. Even though I had the top scores in the last three topics and was ranked second in close-range weaponry, my far-range weaponry score was laughable and my hand-to-hand combat score was only around average. Since the weaponry/combat scores were obviously weighted more, I had a problem; I was ranked number two in my age group.

We were tested again the next year, and the same thing happened. So, the trainers decided to test me against the girls a year older than me. There were no real superstars in that group, so I ended up beating every single one of them. Since my scores in the last three topics were off the charts, the trainers decided that I would be allowed to volunteer when I was seventeen- this year.

I sit down at the psychological testing unit and begin buzzing though the questions. In what seems like no time at all, I'm done. My score pops up on the screen: a 98%. For a second, I'm disappointed that I didn't receive a perfect score, but then I remember that this test is for the young adults of District Three. Sure enough, when a trainer walks over to analyze my score, she tells me that the closest score to mine was an 82%, and the average score was around a 64%.

Once my score has been recorded, I grab my favorite sword from the rack and throw on my armor. I approach the circle in the middle of the training center where sword fights and sparring sessions are held. Since it's reaping day, and because the trainers don't want any "accidents" to happen, a trainer is already standing in the circle with his sword at the ready. As soon as I step in, we begin to fight.

We're pretty evenly matched, so our battle lasts for a long time. Since we're both wearing armor, it's very hard for one of us to disarm the other. I'm not complaining, though, because if I wasn't wearing the armor, I'd certainly be bleeding from multiple wounds. Minutes into the fight, I start to become distracted. I find myself staring over at two twelve-year-old girls who are attempting to throw spears (with little success). That's when the trainer manages to slash up with his sword and knock mine out of my hand. "Bebe!" he shouts, pulling his helmet up over his head. "You need to stop getting distracted! This happens every time!"

"Sorry," I say. "It's a habit that I haven't managed to break."

"Well you certainly will be sorry if, during the Games, you're staring up at some stupid butterfly when your district partner sneaks up behind you and stabs you in the back."

"Sorry," I say again. "Can we try again?"

"The reapings start in less than an hour," he says. "Don't you want to stop back home to freshen up?"

"Yeah, I guess," I say, dropping my sword. I'm disappointed that I never got a chance to try the one hundred meter dash again. "My family will want to see me before I volunteer. I really should get going. Bye!"

I jog back to my house where I'm greeted at the front door by my parents. "We were beginning to worry," my dad says. "We have to leave for the reapings in half an hour. Is that enough time for you to get ready?"

"It'll work," I say. I run upstairs, shower quickly, dress in my reaping clothes, fix my hair and makeup, and return to the front door.

"You look gorgeous!" my mom gushes when I reappear. "That outfit looks great on you."

"Thanks," I say, smiling slightly. I'm not wearing anything too fancy- just a collared, light pink shirt with a short, black, pleated skirt. "Should we get going then?" I ask.

"Of course," my dad says. "Let's get this show on the road."

Fifteen minutes later, we find ourselves in the town square. After hugging each of my parents goodbye, I find my way over to the seventeen-year-old section. I zone out as our escort, Sunny Clearwater, blabs on and on about how much she likes our District. She shows us the anti-rebellion video, and finally, picks a slip of paper out of the females' glass globe.

"Vecepia Daemon."

"I volunteer as tribute!" I shout. I dash up to the stage as fast as I can.

"What's your name, darling?" Sunny asks me.

"Bebe Cora," I say confidently. "Hopefully, I'll be your next victor."

 **Micah Islen**

Once Bebe has taken her place on the stage, Sunny chooses a male name from the reaping pot.

"Rupert Loran."

I pause for a second, locking eyes with Slate. His look says it all; I have to do this. I have to do this for him. "I volunteer as tribute!" I yell, sprinting up to the stage. I hear Slate echo my words. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him "accidentally trip" over another eighteen-year-old's foot. I reach the stage and step up to Sunny.

"And what's your name?" Sunny asks.

"Micah Islen," I say, slightly out of breath.

"Citizens of Panem, I present to you this year's tributes of District Four, Bebe Cora and Micah Islen!" Sunny announces. The crowd applauses, and Bebe and I shake hands. Even though she dyed her hair years ago, the bright streaks of various colors in her dark brown, pixie cut hair, still stick out to me. Maybe it's because she's one of the few people in the districts who can get her hands on dye. She'll look more at home once we reach the Capitol. Two Peacekeepers lead Bebe and I into the Justice Building. I'm sent into a room with silver wallpaper that matches the furniture, where I wait for my visitors to appear.

My parents walk in first. "Micah!" my mom says too enthusiastically. "Congratulations! Why'd you decide to volunteer a year early?"

I shrug. "I guess I'm just ready to compete and get it over with."

For the remainder of the visit, my parents pound me with advice that I don't want or need. I just nod along, pretending to care, until my dad asks me about allying with the careers. "I'm not allying with them," I say.

"Why not?" my dad asks. "They'll give you tons of protection. You'll fit right in with them."

"No, Dad, I won't fit right in with them," I say. "I don't give a crap about glory or fame or killing people. All I care about is being able to live my own life, my way. If I die, so be it. At least I'll die knowing my life actually meant something. I'm sorry, but I'm nothing like the careers- or you guys. My whole life, all you've cared about is entering me in the Games, just because you two couldn't enter yourself. You've never cared about me as a person, which is why the Games are going to be so good for me. Whether in life or in death, I'll escape from living how you and the rest of the district want me to live."

Before my parents can respond to that, a Peacekeeper enters the room to take them away. I simply wave and smile as they're forced out the door, dumbfounded by what I just said. The door closes and I'm left alone again, until Slate walks in a few minutes later.

"I'll never be able to repay you for what you just did," Slate says. "Thanks so much, man."

"It's no biggie," I say. "Once I thought about it for a little while, my choice became clear. By volunteering this year, I not only helped you out, but also escaped from my parents and this district a year early."

"Well, whatever the reason, I can never repay you," Slate says.

"Honestly, it's no big deal," I say. "I'm basically at the peak of my skills anyways. I know I sounded upset this morning, but I was just shocked by your decision. You threw a lot at me at once."

"Sorry," he says. "But I'll have your back when you're in the arena. I promise. I'll raise sponsorship money to send to Mason. And, I'll try to convince my parents that you're still a good person, even though they think you stole my spot in the Games."

"Thank you, Micah," he says. "I'm going to miss you."

"Me too," I say. "If I die, just know that I died happy."

A minute or two later, the Peacekeeper reappears to take Slate. "Bye!" I shout as he's led out. The door slams and I'm left alone once more.

 **Bebe Cora**

My parents walk into the room first. "Congratulations, sweetie!" my mom says, squeezing me into a hug. "We're so proud of you."

"The baby will have a lot to live up to," my dad says, patting my mother's abdomen. My mom's five months pregnant, but we don't know the gender yet. My parents have been wanting to have another baby for years, but something went wrong in my mother's reproductive system after she had me. However, last year, a Capitol medic visited the district, and since we had enough money, they were able to operate on my mom. Even though her pregnancies were very far apart, she's excited to have another child to look after.

For the rest of the visit, my parents continue to tell me how much they love me and how confident they are that I'll win. My mom starts to tear up when they have to leave. "Don't worry, Mom," I say. "I'm smarter than all of them. I'll win this thing."

"I know you will," she says. "I'm just going to miss you so much."

After the Peacekeeper leads my parents out, my friends Blade and Orca appear in the doorway. I first met Blade three years ago when we were paired up for a sword fight. Even though he beat me, we soon became great friends. A year later, he introduced me to Orca, his girlfriend. They've been my best friends ever since. "Hey, Bebe," Orca says when she sees me. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling excited," I say. "I can't believe I finally get to visit the Capitol."

"I know, right?" Orca squeals, her eyes sparkling. "You're _sooooo_ lucky."

"Good luck out there," Blade says. "We'll be cheering for you."

"Thanks guys," I say. "I'll miss you so much."

For the rest of the visit, we just talk about all the great things I'll get to experience in the Capitol. When the Peacekeeper comes in to take Orca and Blade away, Orca blurts out, "Make sure you tell us all about the Capitol if you make it back."

"I will!" I shout as the two of them disappear out the door.

For the next half hour or so, I'm visited by a few of my school friends. None of their visits are particularly noteworthy, though. They wish me good luck, tell me I'll do great, blah, blah, blah. When the last one leaves, and I'm left alone, I play around with my district token, strung around my neck. It's this cheap-o necklace that was given to me about ten years ago. Basically, it's a strip of white fabric with gold swirls and a fake crystal in the center. What I love about this necklace is that I don't remember who gave it to me. That's saying something, because I don't forget much. All I remember is that whoever gave it to me told me that the necklace would help me succeed at anything. Hopefully, it will.

 **So sorry for the late update! :-( School has started, so finding time to write has become more difficult. But school means friends and monthly book club meetings, so I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad about being back.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter- and my bad limericks. If I changed or added something to your character's backstory (this applies to upcoming tributes too) it's probably because a) I found a hole in their backstory, or b) something didn't make sense about their backstory. I didn't make any major changes or additions, but I did do a little bit of tweaking.**

 **The next chapter should be up sometime in the next two weeks (or sooner if my teachers decide to be nice and not assign boatloads of homework).**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	5. The Reapings: Districts Five & Six

**District Five Reapings:**

 **Jerry Porch**

"Mom! Bring me my breakfast!" I shout from the chair in my room.

"Can't you get it yourself?" my mom calls back.

"I'm watching t.v.!" I shout. "Tristan Honeybee's on!"

"Fine," my mom says. A minute later, she's in my room with a plate of eggs and bacon, a fork and a knife, and a glass of juice. She hands my food to me and then leaves. I'm glad; she was blocking the t.v.

As I eat, I watch Tristan Honeybee interview the Head Gamemaker, who keeps saying that the Games this year will be better than ever. I hope they are. His first two years were kind of weak. I could do a better job than him, but I live in stupid District Five. Maybe I can get Dad to move us to the Capitol. He's the victor of the 102nd Hunger Games, after all. They can't say no to him.

Once the program ends, I walk downstairs, into the dining room, where my mom and dad are eating breakfast. "Dad, can we move to the Capitol?" I ask.

"No, Jerry," he says. "No one's allowed to move to the Capitol."

"But you're a victor," I say. "They can't say no to you."

"Actually, yes they can," he says.

"But that's so unfair!" I shout, stamping my foot. "I'd rather die than live in District Five my whole life. The Capitol is so much funner than District Five."

"Sweetie, funner isn't a word," my mom says. "And your dad's right. It's illegal to move away from your home district unless you're a Peacekeeper."

"Whatever," I say, rolling my eyes. "Is there anything else for breakfast?"

"Actually, there is," my mom says. "Wait one second." She walks into the kitchen and returns with a rectangular box. "We got donuts!" my mom says as if this is earth shattering news. We have donuts almost every week.

"Did you get the donuts with sprinkles on them?" I ask.

"No, the bakery was sold out of those, sweetie," my mom says.

"What?" I say angrily. "But Dad's a victor, which means he's practically a god! They can't refuse to give Dad donuts!"

"They were sold out," my mom says. "They can't just snap their fingers and make sprinkled donuts appear."

I groan. "Fine. I guess I'll go get dressed." I grab two chocolate donuts and walk back up to my room. I put on my reaping clothes: a gray suit with a red dress shirt, a gray tie, and white dress shoes. I don't even get why I have to go to the reapings. I'm not going to be reaped. They wouldn't put a victor's child in the Games.

Once I'm done, I walk back downstairs to my mom and dad, who are waiting by the front door. "You look great," my mom says. I know she's right. I've got tons of admirers in the district because of my great looks.

"We've just gotta wait for your little sister," my dad says. "She'll be down in a minute."

Sure enough, my sister, Ingrid, enters the room in a few seconds. She's thirteen, and I love her a lot. Many people say we look alike. "You look beautiful, sis," I say.

"Thanks, Jerry," she says, smiling. "Are we ready to go?"

"Of course," my dad says. "Let's hit the road."

We walk outside, and not even thirty seconds later, we're confronted by a beggar. "Do any of you lovely people happen to have some spare change?" The man smiles, and I count at least four missing teeth.

"No, idiot," I say before my family can respond. "Get yourself a job and earn your own money!" The man stops smiling, looking hurt, and turns around. "Some people are just so lazy," I say as the man scampers off. I probably just imagined it, but for a second, I could have sworn I saw both of my parents roll their eyes at me.

 **Claire Bureau**

"Claire, wake up," my mom calls. "The reapings begin in less than an hour. You might want to start getting ready."

I open my eyes and yawn, feeling extremely tired. I didn't get much sleep last night. I was up reading a book until about two in the morning. It was worth it, though, because the book had a great ending. There were some unanswered questions, though, so I plan to buy the sequel after the reapings. That'll be a great way to celebrate making it through all seven years without being reaped- that is, assuming that I'm not reaped today.

I throw on my reaping clothes (a white button-up shirt, a black skirt, black knee socks, and boots), brush out my hair, and then walk downstairs for breakfast. "Morning, Claire," my dad says, glancing over the top of his newspaper as I enter the dining room.

"Good morning," I say. I open a cabinet and pull out a bagel. I place the bagel in the toaster and pour myself some milk while it's toasting. Once it's done, I grab the bagel, lather it in butter, and sit down next to my dad. "How are you feeling today?" he asks.

"I don't know," I say. "It's my last reaping, so I'm happy about that. But I'm also nervous because I still could be reaped today."

"Don't worry," my dad says. "The chances of you getting reaped are very small. You don't take tessarae, and there's thousands of kids in the district who do."

"Yeah, I suppose," I say. At that moment my mom walks into the room with my younger brother Colton.

"You look so pretty," Colton says when he sees me.

"And you look so handsome," I say. I walk over and hug him.

"Do you have to work today, after the reapings?" my mom asks.

"No," I say. "The press is closed today." A few months ago, I landed an internship with the newspaper company because it seemed like an interesting job. I was right; I've had a great time working there. I would've had an even better time if it wasn't for what Edmund did to me.

"We'll head off to the reapings in about ten minutes," my mom says, interrupting my thoughts. "Your brother and I just have to eat."

Ten minutes later, we're out the door, walking to the reapings. My stomach has twisted itself into knots. I really hope I'm not reaped today. We reach the square, and I walk over to the table to sign in. While I'm waiting in line, I see him standing in the spectator section, and my stomach twists even more- Edmund.

I first met Edmund when I started my internship at the newspaper a few months ago. He was working there as a photojournalist. Attractive, funny, charismatic, smart- he was absolutely perfect. As the months progressed, we began flirting with each other. Along with flirting, he started teasing me, and even though it hurt my feelings, I didn't care because he was just so perfect. Then, a few days ago, he came into work looking devastated. I asked him what was wrong. He told me he was upset because his girlfriend had cheated on him.

Girlfriend? Yeah, I didn't know about that part. I pretended to act sympathetic, but when I walked home that afternoon, I bawled my eyes out for hours. I couldn't believe that he had so blatantly flirted with me, even though he had a girlfriend he hadn't bothered to tell me about. I was furious with myself; I couldn't believe I had fallen for him. That day, I decided to swear off guys. I could never let something like that happen to me again.

Once I've signed in, I walk over to the eighteen-year-old section with my head down. I refuse to make eye contact with Edmund. Our escort, Ullom Shellycoat, begins her rant as I reach my section. Ullom is the most ridiculous-looking person I've even seen. She's over six feet tall and bone-skinny. She's got mountains of makeup piled up on her face, and her nails (more like talons) are blood-red. She's got some weird blue and black dress on that matches the colors of her wig.

Once she's done talking, she shows us the rebellion video. At last, she prepares to pick the name. She walks over to the females' glass globe, and chooses a single slip. She unfolds it, and reads the name aloud.

"Claire Bureau."

My heart almost stops. This can't be happening. I can't go into the Games. I can't die. The crowd around me parts, giving me a path to the stage. I put on a blank face and walk up to Ullom. Meanwhile, my insides feel like they're going to explode. I stand next to Ullom and wait to hear the name of the unlucky male who will share my fate.

 **Jerry Porch**

Ullom reaches into the male bowl and chooses a second name. "Jerry Porch," she announces.

Ullom has to call my name twice before I register what she said. "What?" I scream at the top of my lungs. "That's impossible! I can't be reaped!"

"Jerry Porch, will you please come up to the stage?" Ullom asks.

"No!" I screech. "My dad's a victor! I can't be sent into the Games!" Three Peacekeepers, hearing my shouts, surround me and start pulling me up to the stage. "No!" I yell again, trying to throw the Peacekeepers off of me. "There must be a mistake! My dad's Topher Porch, the victor of the 102nd Hunger Games! Let me go!"

The Peacekeepers drag me onto the stage, next to the female tribute. "Try to run, and we'll shoot you in the head," one of the Peacekeepers whispers before backing away. I'm sure he's bluffing; he'd never shoot the child of a victor. However, I know if I run they'll just drag me back here anyways, so I stay put.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your District Five tributes, Claire Bureau and Jerry Porch!" Ullom announces. The crowd applauds, and the Peacekeepers who led me up to the stage lead Claire and I into the Justice Building.

I'm sent into a room where I wait alone for hours- at least it feels like hours. Finally, my mom, my dad, and Ingrid burst through the door. "Jerry!" my mom sobs when she sees me. "I'm so sorry." She runs over to me and buries her head in my shoulder.

"Mom, stop crying," I say as my shoulder starts to get wet. "I'm the one going into the Games, not you."

"Well how are you feeling?" my dad asks.

"I'm feeling angry," I say. "I can't believe I was reaped. I'm the son of a victor, for crying out loud. It isn't fair!"

"Unfortunately, life isn't fair," my dad says, a sorrowful expression covering his face. "But sometimes, even in the darkest of times, you can get lucky. That's what happened to me. When I was reaped, I knew I had nearly no chance of winning. However, I made some alliances with the right people, worked hard, and hoped for the best. Don't lose hope, son."

"Yeah, I suppose I'll get sponsorship money for being a victor's son," I say. "And I'm pretty good-looking, so that counts for something."

"Exactly," my dad says.

"Here, take this," my sister says, taking the clip out of her hair and handing it to me. "It can be your district token."

"Thank you," I say, pocketing it. It's not the perfect district token, but it'll have to do. Hopefully, the other tributes won't think I'm a sissy for carrying around a hair clip.

"Good luck out there," Ingrid says. "You can do this, just like dad did."

At that moment, a Peacekeeper barges in and announces that my family's time is up. "No!" I shout. "Give us five more minutes."

The Peacekeeper doesn't listen. He pries my crying mother off of me and has to call for two more Peacekeepers to retrieve my sister and father. As they leave, I try to fight my way out the door with them, but a fourth Peacekeeper holds me back. "Calm down, kid," he says. "Your next guests will be in here momentarily."

It turns out our definitions of momentarily are a lot different. At least ten minutes later, my friends Mardock, Gillian, and Pedro enter the room. They all like hanging out with me because of how rich and famous I am. The four of us enjoy tanning together in Speedos, and that's about it. I don't mind, because I have a great life anyways. Who needs friends when you're a victor's son?

For the entire visit, my friends yap on and on about the Capitol, the Games, strategy, blah, blah, blah. I don't listen to a word they say. I'm very happy when the Peacekeepers take them away. At last, I get some peace and quiet. I close my eyes and lie down on the couch. I might as well take a nap while I'm waiting.

 **Claire Bureau**

My family walks into the room first. I immediately notice that my older sister, Azalea, isn't there. I'm not surprised. Ever since she got engaged to a Peacekeeper, she hasn't cared about her real family. I bet she didn't even notice that I was reaped. "Are you okay, Claire?" my mom asks.

"Of course I'm not okay," I say, trying to hold back the tears. "I'm going into the Hunger Games. I'm going to die."

"Not necessarily," my dad says. "You have a fair shot at winning, just like everybody else."

"Dad, I may be smart, but I'm not strong or anything. I could never kill someone."

"There's a few victors who won without killing," my dad says. "You could hide out until the end and wait for everyone else to self-destruct."

For the rest of their visit, my parents and brother continue to tell me that I can win. I'm not stupid. I know they're just trying to make me feel better. Too soon, they have to leave. Before walking out, my mom pulls a pressed rose out of her pocket and slips it into my hand. "Bye, Claire," she says. "We love you."

The door closes, and it doesn't reopen until my friend Sarah appears. She's my lab partner in school, and we became friends because we have a lot in common. We're both introverts, so neither of us really have any other close friends. For most of her visit, Sarah, like my parents, tries to convince me that I actually have a chance in the Games.

"Sarah, it's okay," I say. "I know I'm not going to win. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," she says, embracing me in a hug. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I'll miss you too," I say, a single tear creeping down my face. A Peacekeeper bursts through the door and begins to lead Sarah out. "Bye," I say, waving at her. She waves back, but a second later, the door slams and I'm left by myself.

 **District Six Reapings:**

 **Cole Fyre**

"I can see it! I can see District Six!" my younger sister, Winnie, shouts.

"She's right," Grese says, peering out the window. "Cole, John, come look."

I walk over and press my nose against the glass. Sure enough, there it is- my home district. Even though I'm technically a citizen of District Six, I only spend one day here every year. That's because I don't live in a house; I live on a train.

My parents and I started working on this train when Winnie and I were young. It's half storage space and half living space, so there's plenty of room for all of us. I love being able to live on this train because I enjoy traveling to all of the districts to make deliveries. Even though I've never set foot in any of them (expect District Six) because it's illegal, I love being able to see the differences between the districts. They're all so beautiful in their own way, and I honestly wouldn't mind living in any of them.

Since I'm one of the biggest people on the train, I do a lot of the heavy lifting. So does John, my friend who started working on the train a few years after I did. Two years ago, when we were making a pit stop in District Six, John and I met Grese. She was an orphan, and had no friends or family to take care of her. She begged us to take her on the train with us, so she could work and earn money. So, that's what we did. Now, her and John are my best friends.

All of a sudden, the speakers blare to life, and the conductor's voice breaks up my train of thought. "We will reach District Six in approximately five minutes. Since attendance to the reapings is mandatory, all men, women, and children must exit the train and head for the town square. One the reapings have ended, please make your way back to the train as it will be leaving exactly one hour after the reapings end. Thank you."

My mom enters the room right after the speakers shut off. "Everyone ready?" she asks. Before we can say anything, she looks at Winnie's shirt and sighs. "Winnie, what did you get on your shirt?" she says, smiling slightly.

Winnie looks down. "Oops," she says, noticing the white blob on her shirt. "I must've dropped some pancake batter on myself while making breakfast." Winnie works with the kitchen staff, and helps make food for the dozens of workers on the train. "I'll go change." She sprints off, heading for our family's train car.

"How about the rest of you?" my mom asks, looking at me, Grese, and John. Even though Grese and John aren't technically her children, she treats them like they are. After all, she's the only motherly figure that they have in their lives.

The three of us nod. "We're all set, Mom," I say. "As soon as the train stops, we can leave for the square."

Winnie returns just as the train reaches the station. My dad follows her into the train car. She's replaced her pink, soiled blouse with a blue, unsoiled one. "I'm all ready now," she says. "Let's go."

As soon as the conductor announces that the train has parked, the six of us exit the train and step onto the platform. "Everyone stick close," my mom says. "We don't want anyone getting lost." Since Winnie, John, and I started living on the train when we were young, none of us know our way around the district. Only my parents and Grese can navigate it successfully. As long as we stay close to them, we'll get to the reapings on time.

As we walk through the district, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to live here. It seems like a great life. Everyone has their own, big house instead of being crammed into a tiny train car. Also, there's tons of kids running around the streets. I think I would have had a lot of fun growing up with more than one kid my age. For some reason, though, all of the adults and teenagers look upset today. I guess it's because of the reapings. They shouldn't be upset though. Only two kids get reaped out of the entire district. And, from what I've been told, the Capitol picks kids who deserve to go into the Hunger Games. I don't think they just pick a random kid to go die. That would be unfair.

 **Lexi Honda**

I peer through the window of the shop and my electric blue eyes widen. Right in the front of the shop, I see a table with all sorts of jewelry and other knick knacks. I can swipe those easily. I walk up to the door of the shop, pull out a hairpin, and start jiggling it around the lock. Since it's reaping day, the store is closed, which makes it a hundred times easier to commit this robbery. Not that it matters, of course. I could certainly live without the jewelry. I just like the thrill of stealing.

When I was a kid, I lived a pretty calm life. I never lost a loved one, I had a decent relationship with my parents, and there was always enough money to feed me. It was absolutely boring. When I was about twelve, I decided that I was done living life like that. I needed excitement. So, I changed my lifestyle. I started doing edgier things. Truth or dare became my favorite game. Stealing from stores became my favorite hobby. I discovered how to truly live life, and that's how I've been living ever since. I'll never go back to my boring, mundane life.

The lock clicks and I push the door open. I walk over to the table and fill my pockets with generous amounts of jewelry. I find some lipstick and mascara, and grab them as well. Once my pockets are full, I walk out the door. Just as I'm closing it and getting ready to leave, I hear a shout. "Hey! You!" I whip around and spot a Peacekeeper, standing about fifty yards down the road. "What are you doing?" Instead of responding, I pull my hood over my black hair and run.

"Get back here!" the Peacekeeper yells as I disappear behind the store. I begin sprinting towards my house, adrenaline coursing through me. I smile because this is what I live for- the thrill of the chase. The Peacekeeper's yells and footsteps begin to fade as I continue to cut through various alleyways. When I reach my house, they've faded completely. I walk through the door, a huge smile on my face. That was awesome! It's a shame that the Peacekeeper was so slow, or it would been an even better chase. Oh well- maybe I'll attract the attention of a faster Peacekeeper tomorrow.

I walk upstairs to my room and get dressed for the reapings. I throw on a pair of ripped jeans, combat boots, a leather jacket and a tank top- all in the color black. The tank top doesn't come down all the way, so it exposes my pierced belly button, compliments of a dare. I've also been dared to pierce my ears, cartilage, and tongue, but the holes from the latter two have closed up. I've stolen plenty of earrings to keep in my ears and belly button, but I don't think I managed to get any today.

I brush out my straight, black hair, and throw it into ponytail, leaving a few strands down to frame my face. I use some of the mascara I stole to make my electric blue eyes pop. After a few more touch ups, I walk downstairs into the kitchen and grab a bite to eat. Once I'm done, I meet my parents in the living room. My mom takes one look at my outfit, frowns, but decides not to comment. "Are you ready to go?" she asks.

"Yup," I say. My mom finds my dad and my eleven-year-old brother Axle, and we walk out the door.

It takes us about half an hour to walk to the square. When we get there, I say goodbye to my family, and then head for the fifteen-year-old section. District Six's escort, Pegasus Dragon, then saunters onto the stage. He's the most obnoxious person I've ever seen, and he loves making subtle hints about how much better he is than all of us district folk. Pegasus shows us the rebellion video, and then walks over to the girls' bowl to pick a name.

"Alexus Honda."

No. This can't be happening! Butterflies fill my stomach, and panic starts to set in. I can't go into the Hunger Games. I'll die for sure. Yes, I can throw a decent punch, but that's about it. I'm not strong or smart or anything. The only weapon I know how to use is my fingernails. I can't do this.

Somehow, I find myself onstage, but I don't remember walking there. Pegasus simply smiles at me and says, "Let's find out who your lucky companion will be." He reaches his hand into the boys' bowl and chooses a second slip of paper.

 **Cole Fyre**

"Cole Fyre."

The sound of my name hits me like a ton of bricks. That's not possible; I can't be reaped. I decide I must've heard Pegasus wrong.

"Cole Fyre," Pegasus repeats.

I nearly pass out. This isn't right. Why would I be reaped? I haven't done anything wrong. The kids around me start clearing a path to the stage. Even though none of these kids know me, I bet my reaction's enough to tell them that my name was just called. I'm shaking, and I'm sure my face has gone as white at a sheet. I begin taking slow steps to the stage, looking around at the thousands of staring faces that surround me. How could they all just let this happen? This is absolutely barbaric. I'm being sent to my death, and I haven't even done anything.

I reach the stage, and Pegasus tells me to shake hands with Alexus. As I look into her eyes, I wonder if she's done anything to deserve this. Or, is she innocent like me? A band of Peacekeepers lead us into the Justice Building. I'm sent into a small room, where I sit on a comfy chair and wait. Five minutes later, my family bursts through the door.

"Why did this happen?" I ask in a whisper. My voice won't work properly. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Cole, there's something we have to tell you," my mom says in a sad tone. "For your whole life, we've kind of let you believe that life was good in the districts. We told you that the districts were nice, friendly places. We told you that the Capitol only puts rebels and troublemakers in the Hunger Games. The truth is, life isn't all that great in Panem. Beating and hangings happen daily in most of the districts. At least half of the district people are poor and starving. The Capitol reaps tributes randomly, just because they want a good show. Part of the reason we started living on the train was because we didn't want you growing up around all that sadness."

I can hardly believe my ears. For seventeen years, I've lived under the illusion that district life is great. Now I know the truth. I'm in complete and utter shock. How could people live this way? How could the Capitol let people live this way? It's horrible!

"I'm sorry we never told you," my father says. "We just wanted you to be happy."

For the rest of their visit, my mother, father, and sister, tell me that they love me and wish me good luck, but I can barely hear them. My mind is still in shock, and I don't think it's going to recover anytime soon. Right before the Peacekeepers enter the room to take my family away, Winnie hands me something. "It's a wheel that I molded out of coal," she says. "I've had it in my pocket for ages. Take it for your district token." I thank her and then watch as the three of them are led out.

John and Grese come in next. The two of them try to give me advice, but they just can't bring themselves to words. We end up simply hugging each other for most of the visit. I'm devastated when they have to leave, because they're the last loved ones I'm ever going to see in my whole life (unless a miracle happens). I wave to them as the Peacekeepers drag them out, my mouth unable to form words. The door slams shut, and I'm left all alone with my misery.

 **Lexi Honda**

The door opens, and my parents walk in with my brother. "Lexi," my mom says, squeezing me into a hug. "I can't believe this happened to you. We're so sorry."

I shrug. There's not much to say, so I stay silent. "Listen, Lexi," my dad begins. "Don't give up yet. Physically, you're in pretty good shape. You've got a shot at victory."

"Your dad's right," my mom says when I don't respond. "I've seen you throw a punch. You're a very tough girl."

"Just try your best out there," my dad says. "You can accomplish great things if you just believe. I have faith in you."

"Me too," says my mom. "Lexi, you honestly could be back here in another month."

"Please say you'll try," my brother Axle says. "I'm gonna miss you. You have to win and make it back home."

"I'll try," I say, breaking my silence for Axle. "I probably won't win, but I'll try."

"Okay," Axle says, looking slightly disappointed.

Over the next few minutes, my parents continue trying to convince me that I can win. It doesn't work; I know the chances of me winning are extremely slim. When their time is up, my parents and brother give me one last hug, and then leave the room. I wave goodbye to them, trying to hold together my emotions. I'm really gonna miss them.

None of my friends visit, which doesn't surprise me. I don't really have any close friends. Since I constantly move around friend groups, I haven't formed any really tight bonds with anyone. As I sit in silence, I look down at my right hand, where a ring with a crystal on it sits on my finger. I decide to use this ring as my district token. Even though it doesn't necessarily mean anything to me, I don't have a lot of other options. Besides, it could work as a great weapon. It's not poisonous or anything, but if I punch someone while wearing it, I'm betting it will hurt like hell.

 **I can't believe that the reapings are halfway done! Only three more chapters, and we'll be headed to the Capitol. As of now, I think I'll be sticking with updates every two weeks, but that is subject to change. I have an extra day off for Columbus Day next weekend, so I might be able to get ahead then.**

 **For some reason, I don't have much to say today, sooooo...**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	6. The Reapings: Districts Seven & Eight

**District Seven Reapings:**

 **Kairen Parker**

"Rise and shine, asshole."

I sit up and squint through the bars of my cell. A Peacekeeper is standing on the other side, holding a plate with a brown lump on it. "Eat up," he says, tossing me the plate with the lump, which I now recognize to be a slice of stale bread. "We're leaving for the reapings in fifteen minutes. Be ready."

After the Peacekeeper leaves, I pick up the bread and bite into it, nearly losing a few teeth. I still haven't gotten used to eating stale bread every morning. I've only been locked up for a few weeks. I finish up the bread and change into the only nice clothes I have in here: a simple black shirt with gray trousers. Then, I lay down on my rock-hard bed, waiting for my first glance at the sun in what seems like forever.

Growing up, I've definitely had a rough life. When I was only two years old, my mom died from disease, and my dad took his own life three years later, so I was raised by my grandmother. For a few years, we had enough money to get by, but as the years progressed, she became too old to work. So, I started to steal food and other things we needed. As I got older, I began stealing things from merchants. Then, I'd sell those things in the black market, to get money for the things we really needed.

Then, three or four months ago, I got into a fight with some thug over a trade agreement. A Peacekeeper spotted us mid-fight, and immediately shot a bullet into the other guy's brain. Since I was younger, I guess the Peacekeeper saw compassion for me, so instead of killing me, he threw me into jail. Only now am I realizing that he didn't do me much of a favor. I haven't seen the sun in months, and I'm becoming more and more hungry as the weeks wear on. I'm ready to break out of this place.

The Peacekeeper returns and unlocks my cell door. "Come on, kid," he says, waving at me to follow him. I step into the stone hallway, feeling exhilarated. I can't believe that I finally get to stretch my legs and see the district. And the Peacekeeper isn't even chaining me to him! Maybe, just maybe, I can slip away and lose him in the crowds.

Right before we step outside, the Peacekeeper stops. He holds up a rope and my heart sinks. "I'll be tying us together," he says. "We can't let you get any... funny ideas." He smiles and wraps the rope around me. I can't believe this! Now I'll have no chance of escaping. As he's finishing his knots, I realize something that makes my heart leap with joy again- we'll have to split up when I sign in. He can't stand in the seventeen-year-old section with me!

"Oh and we'll be together the whole time," the Peacekeeper says, apparently reading my thoughts again. "I've got special permission to stand in your section with you." Dang, this guy's good. He finishes up with the rope and we step outside.

The sun's brightness hits me like one of District Six's bullet trains. I close my eyes tightly, and they fill with water. I don't think I ever realized how dark it is down in the cells. I can't see a thing! The Peacekeeper leads me down the road as I squint and try to regain my vision. I don't think I've ever felt this blind in my life!

A few blocks later, my vision begins to return. I look around the district, taking in as much as I can. Everything looks just like it did before I was locked up. Not much has changed. Pretty soon, we arrive at the square. True to his word, the Peacekeeper escorts me through the sign-in table and into the seventeen-year-old section. We're early, so we stand and wait as the rest of the district files in. Normally, I'd be bored in a time like this, but I haven't seen anything remotely exciting in a while. I look around and watch as the rest of the district files in, ready to see the show. I look down at the length of rope, tethering me to the Peacekeeper.

My mind hatches a plan.

 **Cleo Amorite**

"Okay, I think that's a wrap on this meeting," Nadette announces. "In a few hours, the district will be crawling with Peacekeepers, and we don't want them to be anywhere near our headquarters. Our next meeting will be a week from today, same time, same place. Until then, you all know what your duties and responsibilities are. Have a good week."

Nadette steps down from her podium, and the room begins buzzing with chatter. I wave to a few people, and then head out the door. Normally, I'd stay a few extra minutes to chat, but today, I have to get back home quickly. Paxton will want to hear about today's meeting, and I still have to get myself and Bevyn ready for the reapings.

Half an hour later, I open the door to my house and step inside. Paxton immediately greets me with his familiar, artificially white smile. "Hey," he says in a soothing voice. "What news do you have for me today?"

I take a deep breath and start telling him everything I can remember about the meeting. Even though I've been sharing information with Paxton for years, I still feel a bit guilty about breaking Nadette's trust. It's all for the better of my family, though. I'm all Bevin has left, and I'm prepared to keep him safe at any cost. To me, he's much more important than the rebel cause.

My parents became rebels when they were twenty. My mom, who helped out in the black market, met Nadette, who introduced her and my dad to the cause. My parents worked very hard, and by the time they were in their thirties, they had become very well-respected rebels. Meetings started happening at our house, and I (only eight at the time) would listen in and even contribute what I could.

For a while, life was good. The rebels had developed a successful messenger route, and several schemes were beginning to surface. My parents enrolled me in dance lessons, taught by a lady who lived down the street. I loved jazz and tap; they were exciting and so much fun. My parents maintained their steady income, and continued to thrive in their regular jobs. My mom had even fallen pregnant (by surprise) with Bevyn.

Then, when I was nine, my whole world flipped upside-down. As I was walking home from a dance lesson, tap shoes still on my feet, I watched as a horde of Peacekeepers tore through my house. My parents were dragged into a van, tiny Bevyn in my mother's arms. I was snatched up and put into a separate van. That was the last time I saw my parents before their execution.

The Peacekeepers took me to the Capitol for interrogation. Out of sheer terror and the promise that I would get to see my mom and dad again, I gave up any information they asked for. Once they were satisfied, they sent me back home to District Seven with Bevyn and a strange, twenty-year-old man named Paxton Moores. Paxton was from the Capitol, and had been assigned to be our caregiver.

The next few years were rather dull. I quit my dance lessons and started working in the trees, despite the fact that we got a regular monthly income from the Capitol. I also took on the task of raising Bevyn, the only loved one I had left. I pushed myself away from everyone else I knew and became cold and anti-social. And Paxton- I didn't know if I'd ever warm up to him and his ridiculously fake District Seven accent.

When I was fourteen, I began talking to Nadette and some of the rebels again. Paxton noticed this almost immediately and told me I should join the rebel cause again. He wanted me to learn all of their secrets and then relay the information back to him. Not wanting to put myself, Bevyn, or the rebels in danger, I refused, but Paxton's recommendation to rejoin the rebels soon became a threat. So, for the safety of myself and Bevyn, I became a rebel for the second time in my life. I felt guilty for playing both sides of the fence, but I learned to block out those feelings. After all, I was only doing what was best for myself and Bevyn.

Then, a year later, my relationship with Paxton... changed. We began to have sexual interactions. I went along with it not for my own pleasure, but because I felt obligated to make Paxton happy. I had never seen Paxton as a father figure before, but I hadn't seen him as a significant other either. I didn't necessarily like our nights under the sheets, but over the past two years, we've continued to be intimate, right up until the present.

Once I'm done telling Paxton about the rebel meeting, I walk up to my room and dress in my reaping clothes: ripped denim jeans, a dark gray tank top, and a black leather jacket. I leave my wavy, blonde hair down and throw on a pair of black climbing boots to complete the outfit. After one final check in the mirror, I head out the door with Paxton and Bevyn.

We arrive at the reapings half an hour later, just as our escort, Petunia, steps onto the stage. Petunia has flowers tattooed all over her body, magenta hair, and the squeakiest voice I've ever heard. She's absolutely obnoxious. Petunia welcomes us, shows us the rebellion video, and then draws the female name.

"Cleo Amorite."

My heart nearly stops. How could I be reaped? The Capitol needs me to spy on the rebels. I've always assumed that they wouldn't even put me in the reaping bowl because of that. I take a deep breath and begin walking up to the stage. How could the Capitol do this to me? For years, all I've done is what the Capitol wanted me to do. I've given them tons of information and put up with Paxton and they've never kept their promises or done anything for me. When I reach the stage, I'm fuming with anger. Petunia congratulates me and then prepares to pick the male tribute.

 **Kairen Parker**

As Petunia rambles on and on, I lean down and grab a sharp-looking rock off of the ground. After checking to make sure the Peacekeeper has his full attention on Petunia, I use the rock to saw away at the rope. A few fibers begin to tear as Petunia shows us the rebellion video. I move the rock faster and faster as she draws the female name. I glance up at the Peacekeeper again, but he's still staring up at the stage. Some girl named Cleo is reaped, and as she steps onto the stage, the rope binding me to the Peacekeeper finally tears in two. I take a few cautious steps away from the Peacekeeper, and when he doesn't notice anything, I walk faster, cutting through the crowds of people and making my way towards the edge of the square.

"Stop right there!" I whip around. I watch in horror as the Peacekeeper who I escaped from holds up his gun. He points it right at me and I panic. "I volunteer as tribute!" I shout as I see a boy walk up to the stage out of the corner of my eye. The Peacekeeper freezes. He knows he can't shoot a tribute. I walk up to the stage, joining Petunia and Cleo. Petunia asks me my name, tells the two of us to shake hands, and then escorts us into the Justice Building.

A few minutes after I sit down in the room, my grandmother walks through the door. She immediately walks over to hug me. "I've missed you," she says. "I'm so sorry that this is your only way out of that ratty jail cell."

I shrug. "I tried to escape earlier, but a Peacekeeper caught me," I say. "He was about to shoot a bullet through my head, so I volunteered. After all, a one in twenty-four chance at surviving is better than a zero percent chance."

"That's right, darling," my grandmother says. "And you've got a fair shot out there. You're a pretty physically fit young man."

"I don't know, Grandma," I say. "Those Careers train for years and..."

My grandmother scoffs, cutting me off. "Don't let those son of a guns bother you," she says, leaning closer to me. "I've watched them for seventy-five years, and they've never changed. The trick to beating the Careers is getting yourself a strong group of loyal allies."

"That's tough, though, Grandma. What if there is a strong group of non-career tributes, but they reject me? Where do I go then?"

"They won't reject you. You've got plenty of skills to offer up. You've been running from Peacekeepers your whole life. You're fast, smart, stealthy, and a great person. And besides, even if they did reject you, it's their loss. You could certainly survive on your own."

When I don't respond, my grandmother presses something into my hand. It's a small bracelet with feathers weaved into it. "Your mother made this a few days before she died," she says. "Use it as your token."

I'm about to hug her when a Peacekeeper bursts through the door. "Time's up," he says. He walks over to my grandmother and leads her out of the room.

"Bye, Grandma!" I shout, just before the door slams shut.

 **Cleo Amorite**

Bevyn and Nadette burst through the door. "Cleo!" Bevyn shouts. "You can't go into the Hunger Games! You just can't!" He runs over for a hug, nearly knocking me over in the process. "Promise you'll come back home," he sobs.

"Bevyn," I begin shakily. "I can't promise that. I don't know if I'll be able to win."

"You have to," he says. "You're the only family I have left. Please promise you'll make it back. Please?"

I look into Bevyn's tearful eyes, and almost break down and start crying myself. "Alright," I say. "I promise."

"That's the spirit, Cleo," Nadette says. "We both believe in you. You know, you are very pretty. You'll get tons of sponsors for that. You've also proved your intelligence in the... meetings." She pauses and glances around the room, probably looking for hidden cameras. "You're strong too. You've been climbing trees your whole life. Despite what you may think, you actually might be able to win."

I shrug. "I'll certainly try," I'll say.

"I have something for you," she says, looking just as nervous and shaky as I feel. Nadette reaches into her pocket and pulls out something small. However, just before she can hand to me, a Peacekeeper walks through the door and announces that their time is up. Nadette presses the object into my hand. "Your parents would be so proud of your work," she says.

The three of them leave the room, and I look at the piece of cloth that Nadette gave me. I recognize it as a piece of the old rebel flag that used to hang in our headquarters. A single tear falls down my cheek. Nadette just told me that my parents would be proud of my rebel work. And I've been betraying them the whole time.

 **District Eight Reapings** :

 **Lindroz Delt**

"Checkmate," I announce, a huge smile on my face. My opponent frowns, glances around the board, and then curses. I laugh as he fishes his money out of his pocket and reluctantly hands it to me. "Told you'd I'd win," I say to the forty-year old man. "That's the fifth time you've challenged me, and I've beaten you every time."

"Shut up, stupid kid," the man says, his face red. "Shouldn't you be at home getting ready for the reapings like all of the other slimy little kids in the district?"

I laugh. "I don't need to get ready for the reapings. The statistical probability of me getting reaped is almost nonexistent," I say. "I promise you, I'm not going to get reaped." The man mumbles something under his breath and stands up to leave. Once he's gone, I head home- not because I have to get ready for the reapings, but because my mom and dad will wonder where I am. I have to give them my winnings, or they'll get suspicious.

When I was young, my parents were very poor. So, they turned to my little sister, Linsee, and I to make money. Linsee had a beautiful voice, so they began sending her to parties and weddings to sing for the rich. Since I was a smart little kid, my parents taught me how to play chess. I quickly became an excellent chess player. By the time I was eight, I could beat my parents without breaking a sweat. They began setting up matches between me and other chess players around the district. I began beating people over five times my age. My parents constantly said how proud they were of me, but I wasn't stupid. I knew all they cared about was making money.

Being a great chess player has had its benefits. I've learned the great art of manipulation, which I use almost every day. I've manipulated my parents to get into arguments with each other- sometimes just for fun. I can also get my schoolmates to do almost whatever I want. Life is just a huge chess game for me. I'm the chess player and my family and "friends" are my pawns.

When I arrive home, my mom immediately demands me to give her the money I won. I smile. "How do you know I won?" I ask.

"Are you kidding me?" she says. "You've beaten that guy a million times. Hand the money over."

I roll my eyes and pretend to look upset as I hand my mom half of the money I earned. "Is this all?" she asks, giving me a suspicious look.

"Mom, you said it yourself. I've beaten this man a million times. You don't honestly think he'd bet a high amount of money every time, do you?"

"Yeah, you're right," she says. "But next time, try to push him to bet more."

"Okay," I say, trying hard not to laugh out loud at my mom's stupidity. "I'm going to go get dressed for the reapings."

I run upstairs and pull a pair of jeans, a black jacket, and a pair of boots out of my closet. Once I'm dressed, I return downstairs, where I run into Linsee. "You look very pretty," I say. I've always had a soft spot for my sister- mainly because we understand each other really well. Our parents control both of our lives to make money, and we share a hate for it.

"Thanks," she says, "and you're very handsome." I surround her tiny body in a hug but break away as my parents enter the room.

"Let's go, kids," my dad says. "The reapings start soon."

"And Linsee," my mom begins, "remember that you're singing at a party this afternoon, so don't change your clothes when we come back home."

My sister rolls her eyes, but I'm the only one who notices. "Okay," she says. "Let's go get this over with."

 **Kiyata Merrow**

"All done!" I announce. I flip the cooked egg onto a plate, sprinkle some seasoning on it, and hand it to my mom.

"Thanks, sweetheart," my mom says in a tired voice. "It's a good thing I have you to cook for us. I don't think I could handle making three meals a day and working my job."

"Well, I do love to cook," I say. "It's so much fun."

I hate seeing my mom so tired like this, but there's not much I can do about it. She's a single mother who works a job as a seamstress. She puts in over twelve hours every day but earns almost nothing. We've been dirt poor for as long as I can remember. I've even considered dropping out of school to help my mom earn money, but she'd never let me. Through all this, though, we've managed to scrape by. We just have to take one day at a time.

Once I've finished eating my eggs, I walk into my room to get dressed. I throw on my reaping clothes: a light green blouse and a black skirt. I've been wearing this outfit since I was twelve, so it's a few sizes too small. The blouse is nearly a belly shirt, and the skirt only comes halfway down my thighs, but it's the only nice outfit I've got.

As I'm walking back out of my room, I hear a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" I call to my mom. I open the door and smile when I see a tiny girl in a blue dress standing there. "Hi, Jenny," I say. "What's up?"

Jenny is definitely the smartest, sweetest, six-year-old that I know. She's such a ray of sunshine, and I consider her my best friend, despite the fact that she's eleven years younger than me. Jenny's aunt lives next door to me, so Jenny walks over to my house to tell me stories all the time. "Kiyata, I have to tell you all about my day at school yesterday," she says. "Something crazy happened, and you need to hear all about it."

"I'd love to hear your story, but the reapings are starting soon," I say. "Does Aunt Heather know you're over here?"

"Uhhh... I don't think so," she says.

At that moment, my neighbor's door flies open. Jenny's Aunt Heather walks out, squints through the sunlight, and scans the neighborhood. She finally spots Jenny standing in my doorway and smiles. "Jenny!" she calls. "What are you doing? I told you we're going to the reapings!"

"Sorry Auntie!" Jenny calls back with a smile on her face. "I just wanted to say hi to Kiyata!"

Jenny's aunt chuckles. "Come on, Jenny," she says. "Kiyata's going to get tired of you if you keep bugging her. Let's go."

"Sorry, Kiyata," she says. "I'll talk to you later." She skips back to her aunt's house and they begin walking down the road together.

I shut the door and walk back into the kitchen. My mom comes in a minute later, wearing an old, striped dress. "Ready to go?" she asks.

I nod. "I'm ready if you are." I follow her out the door, and we begin our hike to the square.

We arrive just as out escort, Ridiculous, mounts the stage. Her real name is Ridonica, but everyone calls her Ridiculous for obvious reasons. She's a big believer in manners and etiquette, and she absolutely loves rolling her 'r's. Ridiculous begins her speech as I enter the seventeen-year-old section. For a little while, I actually try to listen, but I eventually give up. Her accent is just too ridiculous to understand.

At last, the time comes for Ridiculous to pick the tributes. She saunters over to the female bowl, dips her hand in, and plucks out a single slip. Ridiculous walks over to the microphone, clears her throat, and reads the name.

"Kiyata Me _rrrrrrrr_ ow."

If it hadn't taken Ridiculous thirty minutes to read my last name, I don't think I would've recognized it. My legs begin moving before my brain can even process what's going on. I make my way up to the stage, feeling surprisingly calm. I don't think my brain realizes that I'm going into the freaking Hunger Games. In a few weeks, I'll be dead.

 **Lindroz Deltz**

Once the girl has reached the stage, Ridiculous reaches into the second bowl to draw a male name. This is taking way too long. I can't wait to get back home in front of my giant t.v.

"Lind _rrrrr_ oz Deltz."

What? My eyes widen in shock. I can't go into the Hunger Games. I just can't. Ridiculous repeats my name, so I begin to slowly walk towards the stage. I but on a brave face for the sake of the cameras. I can't let them know how shocked I really am. Once I reach the stage, Ridiculous tells the girl tribute and I to shake hands. Then, two Peacekeepers appear and escort us to the Justice Building.

I sit in my room for about ten minutes. Then, my sister bursts through the door. "Are Mom and Dad coming?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "They're too upset that you're not going to be there to earn them money. I think they're sitting at home, bawling their eyes out."

I roll my eyes. "They're such idiots. I can't believe I've put up with them for over sixteen years."

Linsee smiles. "I think that's another reason they didn't come. They know that you hate them." The smile suddenly disappears from her face, and she begins talking in a more serious tone. "Lindroz, you have to make it back home. You can't leave me alone with Mom and Dad."

"I'll try," I tell her. "I really will."

"Please do," she says. "With you gone, I'm going to have to sing twice as much as I already do. I don't know if I can handle that."

"You'll be fine," I say. "You're a strong girl."

Linsee smiles, but it's not a real one. Tears begin to creep down her cheeks. "You can do this, Lindroz," she says. "You'll be the smartest one out there. You know how to manipulate and scheme and outsmart almost anyone."

"That is true," I say. "It'll be just like a chess game. I can pull in a few strong 'pawns' to protect me, and when everyone else is dead, I'll manipulate them to fight against each other. It should be nice and easy."

Linsee looks up at me with sad eyes. She reaches behind her neck and unclasps her necklace. "Here, take this as your token," she says. "It'll give you good luck."

"Thanks, Linsee," I say. "Just don't worry too much about me. I'll be fine. I'll make it back to you, I promise."

A Peacekeeper bursts through the door and announces that Linsee's time is up. "I love you!" I shout as she's led out of the room. The door slams shut and I'm left alone in silence. I know I won't have any more visitors. Linsee's the only person in all of Panem who truly cares about me.

 **Kiyata Merrow**

Jenny and her Aunt Heather walk in first. Jenny has her normal look of enthusiasm on her face. She obviously doesn't understand what's going on. "Kiyata, can I tell you all about my day at school now?"

"Sure," I say. I think it's best if I don't explain the Hunger Games and my slim chance of survival to Jenny. She's only six. She shouldn't have to take on so much sadness so early in her life. It's best if I just let her ramble on like usual. I'll let Jenny's aunt decide how to explain my absence to her if she gets suspicious.

Jenny talks for about three minutes without taking a breath. When she's finally done telling her story, I speak up. "Listen, Jenny," I say. "I'm going to be going away for a little while, okay?"

"Like a vacation? When are you going to be back?"

"I don't know," I say. "Just know that I'm going to miss you. I love you, Jenny."

"I love you too," she says. Just as she leans in to give me a hug, we're interrupted by a Peacekeeper who tells Jenny and her aunt to get out.

Jenny skips towards the door, but her aunt stops to put her hand on my shoulder. "Thanks for all you've done for her," she whispers. "You've been such a great role model. Good luck out there. I hope you make it back ."

"Thanks," I whisper back, but Jenny's aunt is already gone, running after Jenny to keep her in sight. The Peacekeeper closes the door, and I'm left alone again. Five minutes later, the door opens again.

My mom runs through the door with tears pouring down her face. "Kiyata," she sobs, embracing me in a hug. "I'm so sorry."

I try to hold myself together, but I can't prevent a few tears from falling. "Mom, calm down," I say. "It's okay. I'm okay."

My mom pulls away and wipes her tears. "Sorry," she says. "I just love you so much. You're my only child. I'm going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too," I say.

"You're such a beautiful girl," my mom says. "It's such a shame to lose such a pretty face."

"I'm not dead yet," I say. "Who knows, my looks could get me sponsors."

"Possibly," my mom says.

"I'm not giving up yet," I say. "I'll make a plan. I won't be the strongest or most skilled tribute out there, but I'll be the most determined."

"Okay," my mom says, but she doesn't look convinced.

"Mom, I'm going to try my hardest to survive out there. You may have given up on me, but I'm going to give it everything I've got."

"I haven't given up on you yet," my mom says. "I just know you tend to get overconfident. Be careful out there."

"I will," I assure her.

Suddenly, a Peacekeeper enters the room and motions for my mom to follow him out. "Bye, Kiyata," my mom says. "Remember, I'll always love you." She hands me one of her woven bands- my favorite one, in fact.

"Thank you," I say. "I love you." The door slams shut and I'm alone once more.

 **I'm so so so so so so so sorry for the extremely late update! :-( In the last month, I've had:**

 **\- The PSATs- I had to re-learn two years of algebra.**

 **\- Halloween- I swear I went to like five haunted houses.**

 **\- My birthday- I turned sixteen last week!**

 **\- My permit test- I studied forever for it, but it turned out to be really easy (oops!). I can drive now, so stay off of the roads. :-P**

 **\- School- Our first quarter just ended, so I had a ton of tests/exams to study for.**

 **So once again, I'm super sorry, but as surprising as it might seem, I do have priorities that come before fanfiction. Now that I've gotten a little less busy, chapters should be posted once every two weeks again.**

 **Thankfully, there's only two more chapters of reapings left. The reapings are always the hardest to get through because of their length, but the story wouldn't be the same without them.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	7. The Reapings: Districts Nine & Ten

**District Nine Reapings:**

 **Logan Clark**

"Logan, it's time to get ready for the reapings," my mom calls from the hallway. I groan and remain in my bed. "Logan," she repeats, "we have to leave soon." I ignore her, pretending to be sleeping. "I made scrambled eggs and bacon."

I groan again. "Bring some to me," I say.

"Fine," my mom responds. She walks downstairs, and I hear her assembling a dish of food.

"Hurry up!" I shout. "I'm starving!"

At last, she returns with my plate of food. "Where's my orange juice?" I demand. She runs back downstairs and brings me back a glass. At last, she leaves and I enjoy my food in peace.

When I'm done, I toss my plate and cup on the floor and rummage through the closet for my reaping clothes. Normally, I'd complain about going to something like this, but it's the reapings. I'm not stupid; I know that it's against the law to stay home. I also know that I look really good in my reaping clothes, so that's a bonus. I throw on my white button down shirt and a pair of khakis. I flash my pearly white smile at my mirror and then walk downstairs.

When I walk through the living room, I notice that the t.v. is on. It's replaying footage from a hanging that happened a week ago. I laugh as the man's head falls down and his neck snaps. My parents stare at me. I swear, they think I'm insane- probably because I was born with my umbilical cord wrapped twice around my head. Multiple doctors have told us that my brain was permanently damaged because of that, but I don't believe them. They just don't understand my sense of humor.

My younger sister Callina suddenly appears at the doorway. A lot of people say we look alike; we both have curly black hair (though mine is a lot shorter), big brown eyes, and pale skin. Callina and I aren't very close; she doesn't understand my sense of humor either. She's thirteen and currently has a yellow dress on for the reapings. "Oh my gosh," my mom says. "You look so..."

"Hideous," I cut her off. "That dress is such an ugly color. What do you call that shade, cat pee?"

I laugh and my sister bursts into tears. My mom walks over to comfort her. "It's okay, Callina," she says. "He didn't mean it."

My dad puts his hand on my shoulder before I can say anything else. "Son, I think it's best if you and I head to the reapings alone."

"I couldn't agree more," I say. "Let's go."

It doesn't surprise me at all that my parents don't want to go to the reapings together. They have a weird relationship. My mother is a prostitute- not because we need the money but because she's bored. I've heard she's quite good at it too. I have no idea if my dad knows about this, but I don't think he'd care if he did know. After all, my mom's not the only one who spends nights away from home.

Our walk to the reapings turns out to be pretty uneventful. I do get to see one of my classmates trip over a rock, though, which makes me laugh my head off. My dad doesn't care because he knows that the kid is one of the poorest kids in town. Laughing at the poor is especially fun. We finally arrive at the square, and my dad wishes me good luck. "I don't need luck," I say. "It's my last year of the reapings. They won't pick me."

 **Circe Fog**

 _"O great mystic ball,_

 _I answer your call,_

 _Grant me your knowledge,_

 _Let me see all."_

I peer into the swirling depths of my mystic ball as my mom peeks over my shoulder. I've done this nearly a thousand times. The reapings may be happening today, but the thought of them could never break my concentration. The purple and black mists flow around for a while until they form a vision:

 _A boy in a black jacket lies on the ground. The jacket has been stained crimson. The boy isn't moving. Blood pours out of a hole in his stomach. And standing over the boy is... me? There's a knife in my hand, dripping with blood. There's a smile on my face- not an evil smile, but a relieved smile. I've done this, and I'm happy about it._

The vision fades away and I turn around to gaze at my mother. There's an inquisitive look on her face. That was one of the oddest visions I've ever received. "Do you think you understand what the mystic ball was trying to tell us?" she asks. Her face has become expressionless.

"I think so," I say. I take a deep breath. "It was a vision of myself right after I had killed someone. And the reapings are today, which means only one thing: I'm going into the Hunger Games today."

"That's what I saw too," my mom says. "If you are reaped today, you must walk to the stage and allow yourself to be taken to the capitol. If you are not reaped, you must volunteer."

"Really?" I say. "Don't you think I'll just be reaped."

"We can't be sure," my mom says. "The mystic ball doesn't grant us many specifics. You must be prepared to volunteer today if you aren't reaped. The mystic ball is calling to you. You must answer its call."

"I understand," I say. "I'd better go get dressed."

My mom stops me before I can step into the hallway. "Circe, don't be afraid," she says. "This is your destiny. The mystic ball is calling you to be the next victor of the Hunger Games. Trust it."

I nod and walk through the hallway and into my room. I'm a little shaken up by what I just saw, but I know I have to trust the mystic ball. It has protected me for fifteen years. My mom trusts in it, and so do it. The only real time I've questioned the mystic ball is when my dad died. He was executed by Peacekeepers by speaking out against the Capitol. When I asked my mom why the spirits let that happen, she said that they must've thought he was interfering with our fortune telling by speaking out so much. The spirits wanted his life, so they took it.

I find a black dress that nicely matches my black shroud and put it on. Many district people stare at me when they see my shroud, but I've gotten used to it. The shroud helps me see visions more clearly, so I will always wear it. The people in my neighborhood don't even question my shroud. Most of the people in my part of town believe in spirits just like my family does. They still practice rain dances and ancient prayers, so a shroud is nothing new to them.

I reenter our fortune telling room to grab my mystical ball. It can be my district token and will give me the knowledge to make it through the Hunger Games. I walk into the hallway where my little sister, Edna, is helping my mother fasten her coat. Even though Edna and I are sisters, our mom treats each of us very differently. Edna isn't very pretty, and she isn't too talented with fortune telling, so she echoes nearly everything that my mom says. She's basically our servant.

The three of us finally begin our journey to the reapings. As soon as I step outside, the bright light nearly blinds me. I spend most of my time in dim lighting, so the bright rays of the sun surprise me every time I venture out of the house. As usual, many people stare at our shrouds, but it doesn't bother any of us. We just continue to walk until we've reached the square. My mom gives me a hug, and then heads off to watch the reapings with Edna. I make my way over to the sixteen-year-old section and wait for the ceremony to begin.

At last, District Nine's escort, Praxis, trudges onto the stage. Praxis is an extremely dull man, and he dresses in the same gray suit every year. Even his hair is dyed a boring, slate gray color. Praxis welcomes us and then turns on the video about the rebellion. Just like Praxis, the video is just as dull as it is every other. Finally, it ends, and Praxis walks over to the female glass globe to draw a name.

"Lorietta Ridley," he reads.

I take a deep breath. Now's my time. I need to volunteer. The mystic ball has showed me my destiny. "I volunteer as tribute!" I shout.

Thousands of shocked heads turn in my direction. I know what they're all thinking: Harvest Anson volunteered last year, and now I'm their second female volunteer in a row. I don't think that's ever happened in any of the outer districts. Ignoring all of the stares, I walk to the stage and join Praxis, who looks very upset that someone has once again messed up his monotonous ceremony. Once I've told the crowd my name, Praxis glides over to the male glass globe and picks another name.

 **Logan Clark**

Some weird mystical girl volunteers and walks up to the stage. I laugh. Is she stupid? Doesn't she know she's going to die? Once the girl announces her name, Praxis walks over to the other bowl and draws a second name.

"Logan Clark."

I begin to laugh. I laugh as everyone stares at me. I laugh as they all realize that I'm their new tribute. I laugh as the Peacekeepers drag me onstage. "How ironic," I manage to choke out. "I'm eighteen. This is my year of eligibility. Of course that means I get reaped." The whole district stares at me in shock. I don't think they're too sure of their new tributes. Praxis wraps up the ceremony very quickly, and then the Peacekeepers lead me the mystic girl away.

My family visits me a few minutes after I sit down in the Justice Building. My sister begins to sob as soon as she sees me, and she buries her head in my mom's coat. "Stop crying," I tell her. "You're not the one going into the Hunger Games. Grow up." That just makes her cry harder. I groan, but before I can complain about Callina, my dad speaks up."

"Son, you can do this," he says. "Since you're eighteen, you'll be one of the biggest and strongest tributes out there. Besides, you know how to use a sickle." It's true. Sometimes, when I get bored, I'll head out to the wheat fields to harvest some grain. I don't do it to earn money; I just like being able to use a sharp weapon. "You're also a pretty fast runner," he adds. That's also true. Running is another thing I do when I'm bored because I love the adrenaline rush.

My dad rattles off a bunch of advice while I sit and pretend to listen. I already know everything he's telling me, so I just tune him out. When the Peacekeeper walks in to take my family out, I'm kind of relived. My dad's advice is getting repetitive, and my sister's crying is giving me a headache. My dad hands me his silver watch before walking out and tells me to use it as my district token. It's a pretty stupid watch, but at least it's expensive.

 **Circe Fog**

My mom and sister walk through the door. "Quick, Circe," my mom says as she sits down. "We should have one final vision together before you leave."

"Okay," I say. I take my mystical ball out of my pocket and set it on a tiny table.

 _"O great mystic ball,_

 _I answer your call,_

 _Grant me your knowledge,_

 _Let me see all."_

 _I'm sitting in a room, gazing into my mystic ball, but I'm not alone. A young girl sits next to me; she can't be older than thirteen or fourteen. She's gazing into my mystic ball too. I'm talking to her. I don't know what I'm saying, but she's listening to me, looking intrigued._

The vision ends and I look up at my mother. "Do you think you understand what the mystic ball is trying to tell you?" she asks.

I nod. "I think so. The vision showed me gazing into my mystic ball with a young girl. I think I was teaching her about fortune telling."

"I agree," my mom says. "So what do you plan to do?"

"I need to find a young tribute girl to teach," I say. "I think the mystic ball wants me to pass on my knowledge in case I die."

"Yes," my mom says. "During training, you need to find yourself an apprentice. Teach her everything you know. If you fail to win the Games, she will live to carry on your fortune telling legacy." She takes a deep breath. "Good luck out there, Circe. If you die, at least you'll die knowing that you passed on the secrets of the mystic ball. No matter what happens, remember that this is the mystic ball's plan for you. Trust the mystic ball. Whenever you're unsure of anything, just ask it."

"Okay," I say. "I will. Thanks for everything you've done for me, Mom. Without you, I never would've unlocked the secrets of the mystic ball. I wouldn't be the same person I am today."

Just then, a Peacekeeper enters the room to take away my family. I give my mom a huge hug. "Goodbye," I say. "I love you." I pull away and turn to my sister. "Bye, Edna," I say. "I'll miss you." The Peacekeeper leads the pair of them away. I don't get any more visitors, which doesn't surprise me. I've never had friends. After all, the mystic ball gives me all of the guidance and support I need.

 **District Ten** **Reapings:**

 **Sable Maren**

I lean on the fence as I scan my surroundings. Nothing looks out of the ordinary. The sheep are wandering around in the field, just like every other day. The woods, surrounding the field on two sides, look surprisingly calm and peaceful. I can't see any wolves or poachers. I twirl my bowstaff around in my hands. I don't think I'll have to worry about anything attacking the sheep today. It's reaping day today, so the poachers won't risk being caught by the extra Peacekeepers in the district. And the wolves- I haven't seen one in weeks. I think they've finally learned to respect my family's territory.

The only life I've ever known is the farming life. I grew up on my family's farm with my mom, my dad, and my twin sister, Fawn. When I was little, I preformed simple tasks with my sister- feeding the animals, collecting eggs from the chickens, shoveling poop out of the stables- but now, we've all got our own jobs. My dad is in charge of the ranch and oversees all of the workers. His specialty is delivering baby animals. Although he's over six feet tall and two hundred pounds, I've never seen anyone who's more gentle than he is with babies.

My mom runs the business aspect of our farm. She's the one who makes deals and trades our products with our customers. My sister and I are in charge of herding the sheep and protecting them from poachers and wolves. We have very different techniques for guarding the sheep. I use my bowstaff to ward off the predators. Since I'm strong, I find it very easy to knock down the poachers and wolves with my bowstaff. Fawn is much smaller and skinnier than I am, so she uses stealth and her throwing knives to protect the sheep.

Today, Fawn and I decided to watch the sheep in shifts. She woke up earlier to watch them, and it's my turn now. However, I should be almost done. I look down at my wrist and check my watch. Sure enough, I only have about ten minutes left before I need to take the sheep back towards the barn. I lean back against the fence and sigh. It's been a very boring morning. Nothing has attacked the sheep, and Fawn's not here to keep me company.

At last, I head inside for a quick shower. Once I'm done, I dress in my reaping clothes- worn, brown pants and a black t-shirt. I also throw on my favorite jacket; it's lined with white fur from a wolf pelt, so it's very warm and comfortable. I take one final look at myself in the mirror before leaving my room. I've been told by a few people that I'm handsome, but I honestly don't know if that's true. I don't exactly talk to girls, so I guess it doesn't matter anyway. I prefer to keep my thoughts to myself; Fawn is really the only person who knows the true me.

I walk into the kitchen and open up the refrigerator, looking for something to eat. Just as I'm reaching for an egg, Fawn appears and slaps my hand down. "Sable, there's no time," she says. "We've gotta head to the reapings. Mom and Dad are already waiting for us outside." I check my watch and groan when I realize that she's right. Sometimes, living on the outskirts of the district sucks.

"But I'm hungry," I say. "Can't I just grab something quick?"

" _Fine_ ," Fawn sighs and rolls her eyes. She grabs an apple and tosses it to me. "There. You can munch on that. Now let's go."

 **Muna Taylor**

"Thank you, Lord, for this great food we're about to eat. Please lay your blessing upon us today, and help us to continue living in your image. Amen."

I finish the prayer, and my brother, my stepfather, my mom, and I dig into our breakfast. My mom made us scrambled eggs for the first time in a few months, so it tastes absolutely heavenly. Even my baby sister has a tiny plate of eggs, but she's having a lot of trouble scooping it up with her spoon. The slimy eggs just don't want to stay on the spoon. Eventually, she gives up; she sticks her hand into the pile of eggs and shoves a handful into her mouth. I smile; she's absolutely adorable.

We don't talk much during breakfast; we're all too nervous about the reapings. As soon as we're done eating, I dash into my room to get ready. I put on a green, sleeveless dress and a pair of red flip flops. I grab my favorite necklace and fasten it around my neck. The necklace has a cross on it, and it helps me remember Christ during the bad times. And in the past few years, I've had quite a lot of bad times.

When I was twelve, my parents split up. I was heartbroken and made the split second decision to live with my dad. I had always felt closer to him than I had with my mom. However, it didn't work out as I'd hoped. After a year of missing my mom, my brother, and my friends, I returned home. Although I was happy to return, I felt like an outsider as soon as I stepped into my house. My mom had found a boyfriend (now my stepfather) to spend time with, and my brother had his friends. School was even worse. During the year we spent apart, my friends had changed. I didn't fit into their group anymore.

To make matters worse, I began to witness this boy in my grade bullying a younger kid. The boy's name was Sean, and he refused to leave the poor kid alone. Since things like this tend to bother me, I confronted Sean and told him to knock it off. He didn't listen, so I began challenging him, often throwing a punch or two until he backed off. Naturally, Sean didn't like being told off by a girl, so our rivalry intensified.

A few months ago, I saw Sean steal some money at a school concert, so I began to chase him. I followed him as he ran backstage and then up a blocked staircase. However, when I was halfway up the staircase, it collapsed. I injured multiple bones on the left side of my body, and since my family couldn't afford to send me to a doctor, some of those injuries haven't fully healed. A scar that I got that day runs across my forehead and serves a constant reminder of what happened.

"Muna, Danny, time to go!" my mom calls. "We have to get to the reapings!"

"Coming!" I call back. After one last glance in the mirror, I walk back into the hallway and out the front door. My stepfather and mom (holding my stepsister) are waiting for me on the pathway in front of our house. A minute later, my brother walks out, and the five of us begin our trip to the town square.

Half an hour later, we arrive, and my brother and I head off to our respective sections. I join the other fifteen-year-olds as we wait for the reapings to begin. Finally, our escort, Hila, steps out. I swear, she has the worst OCD I've ever seen. If she thinks something isn't right, she'll fix it right on the spot. Today, the microphone is bothering her. Apparently, it's tilting too far to one side, and it's too low. Hila spends about three minutes fixing the microphone and then begins the ceremony.

Hila welcomes us and shows us the same rebellion video we've seen every single year. Once it's done, she announces that she's ready to draw a female name. She walks over to one of the glass bowls and choses a slip of paper.

"Muna Taylor."

My heart skips a beat and a dull shock overcomes me. I walk up to the stage feeling like I'm in a trance. I can't think straight. I reach the stage and stare out at the crowd. Without thinking about it, I tuck my hair behind my ear, revealing the scar that I got when the staircase collapsed on me. Normally, I keep the scar hidden behind my bangs, but my gut is telling me to show my scar to the world. It'll make me look tougher.

 **Sable Maren**

As soon as Muna takes her spot onstage, Hila moves on to the male glass bowl. She dips her hand in and pulls out the first slip of paper she touches.

"Sable Maren."

My eyes widen in shock, but I recover quickly and clear my face of all emotion. I can't believe it. This was my last year of eligibility. I was so close to surviving the reapings. I can't go into the Hunger Games now. Stone-faced, I make my way up to the stage. I can't let anyone know what I'm truly feeling inside. I know I look like a threat, so I need to act like one too.

I reach the stage and stand next to Muna. Apparently, we're ahead of schedule, so Hila begins some speech about Muna and I representing the district while I (and most of the district) zone out. As she talks, I start to calm down a bit. I'm not dead yet. I am pretty strong; I do have a shot at winning.

Hila finishes her speech and tells Muna and I to shake hands. My confidence has grown a bit, so I smile mischievously at the crowd. I'll let them take that any way they want.

Once we're done shaking hands, a pack of Peacekeepers surround us and lead us to our rooms in the Justice Building. I sit in a chair and wait until my family finally enters the room. Fawn sprints in and tackles me in a hug. "I'm going to miss you so much," she says into my shoulder.

"Me too," I say. She pries herself off and sits on a couch next to my parents.

My dad clears his throat, pauses for a second, and then speaks. "Son, you know you're going to have to kill to win this thing, right?"

"Yeah," I say. "I don't want to kill, but some things just have to be done."

My dad grabs my hand and squeezes it. "Just do it quickly," he says. "Don't let anyone suffer. And remember that it's not your fault."

"Be confident out there," my mom says. "You're big and strong, so you won't be overlooked. Find yourself an ally or two, and make them trust you. Get a bowstaff, and earn yourself a high training score. Then, at the interviews, make sure you impress the sponsors." She pauses. "Just use your head and your strength out there, and you'll be fine."

"Thanks, Mom," I say.

Fawn reaches over and grabs my shoulders. "You've got this, Sable," she says. "You're so strong. The careers are going to be scared of you. You're a freaking wolf-slaying beast!" I smile but it fades quickly. "Besides, remember that pact we made when we were little?"

"A little bit," I say.

" _Brother and sister forever,_ " Fawn recites. " _With a bond that no one can sever. Through hate and through love, like a wolf like a dove. Never to ever say never._ You need to make it back home. You have to."

A Peacekeeper bursts into the room and begins rounding up my family. "I love you!" I shout to them as the door slams shut.

 **Muna Taylor**

My mom, stepdad, brother, and baby sister walk in first. My stepdad sits down with his daughter on his lap; I don't think he plans to do much talking. "Listen to me, Muna," my mom begins, "you can't do anything stupid out there. One mistake could end your life."

"I know," I say. "I'll be careful."

"I'm serious," my mom says. "You have to hold your tongue. Don't say anything bad about the Capitol or they will kill you. Stay away from the Careers and remember that only one person comes out. But most important of all, remember that you're a Christian."

"So you don't think I should kill?" I say.

My mom says. "The thing is, Muna, only one tribute comes out, and nothing will change that. If you have to kill, do it, but do it fast. After all, it's not your fault. It's the..." She pauses and looks around the room, probably trying to find cameras. I guess she decides not to risk it because she doesn't say anything else.

My brother decides to end the awkward silence. He spends a few minutes lecturing me on strategy. "And remember that I love you," he finishes. "I'm going to miss you so much."

Once the Peacekeepers enter the room and lead the four of them away, my dad walks in. He sits in silence for about a minute and then begins to talk. "Muna, I'm sorry," he says. "I'm sorry I couldn't make living with me work out."

"It's okay," I say. "It's not your fault. It's mine."

"I love you so much," he says. "You're the only family I have left. I can't believe I'm going to lose you too."

We don't talk much during the rest of my dad's visit. We just hug each other tightly. I have to hold back many tears when the Peacekeepers drag him away. I just want my dad to be happy, and I haven't seen him happy in many years.

My friends Maizie and Topaz walk through the door next. Although we aren't as close as we were three years ago, they are my closest friends and I appreciate their visit. For the next five minutes or so, the two of them wish me good luck and give me their best thoughts on strategy. "Thanks so much," I say when the Peacekeepers walk in to take them away. "I'm gonna miss you guys." The door shuts and I'm left alone once more.

 **GUYS ONLY ONE CHAPTER OF REAPINGS LEFT!**

 **Seriously, I'm so pumped to really get this story going! The reapings are undoubtedly the hardest part of a SYOT to write (and read, really) so I'm so glad that I'm almost done with them.**

 **So for those of you who are curious about what's going to happen beyond the reapings, yes, there will be a poll up as soon as the next chapter is posted. Since the reapings started a long, long time ago, you might want to jump back to some of the earlier chapters to refresh yourself before voting. Also, I think I've decided what I'm going to do with the train rides, but I'm gonna keep that a secret for now (but I promise that they won't be super long).**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	8. The Reapings: Districts Eleven & Twelve

**District Eleven Reapings:**

 **Spud Wyllows**

"Boys, it's time to wake up!" my mom calls from the hallway. "Time to eat breakfast!" I open my eyes and sit up, watching as my two brother's do the same thing. Jadyn, who's a year older than me, turns on the light, nearly blinding me.

"Jadyn, don't do that," my eight-year-old brother, Rogan whines.

"Whatever," Rogan says, rolling his eyes. He steps out onto the hall. Jadyn and I follow him.

The three of us enter the kitchen, joining my two younger sisters and my mom. "Why isn't there any eggs and bacon?" my ten-year-old sister Taryn complains as she looks at the grainy slices of bread set on the table.

"Cause it costs too much money," my mom says, sounding and looking exhausted.

Before Taryn can respond, my dad stumbles in. He's drunk (as usual) and is holding a big, blue bottle of alcohol. "You kids need to shut up," he says. "I tell you this every day and you never listen. You're a bunch of spoiled, whiny brats." He turns around and slams the door; we can hear him as he stumbles down the hallway, back to his room.

This is how life has been for as long as I can remember. My dad constantly tells me and my siblings how annoying we are, and my mom always acts like nothing's wrong. She never takes my dad's insults to heart- or, at least, I don't think she does. "Would you like a slice of bread, Spud?" my mom asks. I nod and she slips the biggest piece into my hand. I've always been my mom's favorite.

My siblings know that I'm her favorite, and Jadyn tells me it's because of how pathetic I am. "You come home from the apple orchards every day with a sunburn and bleeding hands," he told me one day. "Honestly, I think you're the only kid in the whole district who burns. Plus, who bleeds from picking apples? Mom feels sorry for you, and that's why she gives you all her attention."

Once we've finished eating our bread, my mom says, "You kids have fifteen minutes until we have to leave for the reapings." Oh snap- I forgot all about the reapings. "Go get dressed and try to look presentable." I head back to my room with my brothers and begin digging through my drawer for nice clothes. The trouble is, the only clothes I own are rags. I eventually find a ripped, white t-shirt and a pair of brown (I think they used to be gray) shorts. I guess these will have to do. I put them on and notice that my brothers are also dressed in similar dirty, ripped clothing. And they say _I'm_ the pathetic one.

The three of us walk into the hall to meet my sisters. Somehow, Taryn managed to get her hands on an old dress (at least, I think it's a dress) while Millie is dressed in some sort of toga thing. My mom steps into the hall and asks us if we're ready to go. "I'm too hungry to do anything," Rogan complains. "I need food or I'll starve."

"There's not enough time," my mom argues. "We have to leave now or we'll be late."

"Why doesn't Dad have to go?"Millie whines. "It's not fair!" she stamps her foot on the ground.

"He's an adult,"my mom says. "He can do whatever he wants to do."

"But it's _illegal_ to stay home," Jaydn says. "The Peacekeepers will arrest him."

"Fine. He's... uh... going later. Now come _on_! We're going to be late!" Looking very annoyed, my mom grabs Rogan and Millie by the arms and leads them out; Taryn, Jadyn, and I follow behind them.

We arrive at the town square a few minutes later. My mom leads Rogan, Millie, and Taryn away to the spectators' section while Jadyn and I stand in line to sign in. I wince when the Peacekeeper pricks my finger. "Baby," Jadyn says, shoving me towards my section. I enter the fourteen-year-old section and stand with some of the other boys my age. I don't really have any friends, so I stand by myself and wait for the ceremony to begin.

 **Jasmine Kingston**

I open my eyes and squint at the sun through my open window. I stand to lie back down, but then I remember that I have to get ready for the reapings. I groan, climb out of bed, and pull some fairly nice clothes out of my closet: a yellow skirt, a white tank top, and black sandals. Once I'm dressed, I walk downstairs and into the kitchen.

A note from my uncle lies on the table. _Out working in the orchards. Eat whatever you can find. Make sure you go to the reapings._ Wow, he wrote a whole three sentences. I think that's a new record. I crumple up the note in my hand as I search for something to eat. I'm not surprised that my uncle isn't going to go to the reapings with me. During the past few years, he hasn't taken much care of me at all.

When my mom was pregnant with me, my dad was executed for stealing from the orchards. My mom became very depressed after he died, so during the last few months of her pregnancy, she drank a lot. Somehow, I survived through the birth, but my mom did not. My uncle, my only living relative, was assigned to be my caretaker.

Although my uncle did agree to take care of me, he only did it because he knew it was what was expected of him. He worked in the orchards and got very little pay, so he knew it wasn't enough to support a family. That's why he never married or had any kids. When I was young, my uncle took care of me a little, but by the time I turned seven, all he really provided me with was a roof to sleep under and occasionally some food. I've had to go on multiple expeditions to local trash cans to find food. Judging by the emptiness of the cabinets, today looks like it's gonna be one of those days.

My uncle's neglect isn't the only reason that I'm such a loner. It's hard to describe, but I can tell I'm... different from everyone else. My uncle once told me that it's because of how much alcohol my mom consumed while she was pregnant with me. For some reason, I can't sit still. My hands always have to be doing something- either playing with my hair or twiddling my thumbs or crumpling up a piece of paper (like I'm doing right now). I'm also told that I have trouble focusing. I get bored easily, and according to my teachers and instructors, that's a problem.

Honestly, I'm not even bothered by the fact that I'm different. I just do what feels normal to me. What bothers me is everyone's reactions to my abnormalities. Teachers hate me because I can't sit still, I talk in class, and I don't finish any of my assignments on time. They think I'm a bad kid, but it's not my fault. I can't help that I'm different. My classmates are even worse; they snicker at me in the hallways and call me horrible names. I just wish everyone would leave me alone. I hate hate everyone in this district and all I want is quiet life.

I reach into the back corner of a cabinet and pull out two stale slices of bread. I guess this'll have to do; at least there's no mold on them. I begin munching on one of the slices as I walk out the front door, heading towards the town square. Even though it's my first year of eligibility for the reapings, I'm not really scared. I know there's an extremely small chance of me being reaped. Besides, even if I am reaped, being scared isn't going to get me anywhere. It's not like I've got lots to lose.

Once I arrive at the reapings, I sign in and find a spot in the twelve-year-old section. I twirl my hair around my finger as I wait for the ceremony to begin. After what seems like an hour, our escort appears onstage. Her name is June Summers, and each time she visits the district, she dresses herself in a variety of neon colors. Today, she's chosen a hot pink dress, neon green hair and nails, and bright purple heels. Against the dull backdrop of District Eleven, she looks like someone from another world.

June shows us the rebellion video as I play with my hair. By the end of the video, I've braided my hair half a dozen different ways. After what seems like forever, June announces that she's going to pick a female name. She walks over to the glass bowl on her right and choses a slip of paper. She walks back to the microphone, takes a deep breath, and reads the name.

"Jasmine Kingston."

I stop playing with my hair and begin walking up to the stage with an annoyed expression on my face. I'm a bit surprised that I was reaped, but honestly, I don't care. I bet my uncle put in some extra tessarae slips without telling me. I reach the stage and stare out into the crowd. Almost everyone has a disappointed expression on his or her face. They know I won't win. I'm just a weak little twelve-year-old. June congratulates me and walks over to pick a male name.

 **Spud Wyllows**

My heart beats rapidly as June gets ready to pick the boy's name I cross my fingers, hoping it won't be me this year. My palms begin to sweat, so I wipe them on my pants. I'm so nervous, I think I might puke. June picks a name and walks over to the podium to read it.

"Spud Wyllows."

No no no no no no! Tears flow down my face. I need to escape. I begin to run back towards the sign-in table, but a Peacekeeper spots me and scoops me up. "No!" I shout as I kick and scream and try to escape the Peacekeeper's grasp. "Let me go! I can't go into the Hunger Games! I'm too young! Let me go!"

The Peacekeeper ignores me and drags me all the way up to the stage. When he lets me go, I try to rub again, but he grabs me and forces me to stay put. I shake the female tribute's hand (I forget her name) and the crowd applauds. They don't cheer very loud. My Peacekeeper shoves me in the back so I begin walking towards the Justice Building. He leads me all the way to a room on the second floor where I sit and wait for my visitors.

My mom walks in with Jadyn, Rogan, Taryn, and Millie following behind her. My dad is nowhere to be found. "Oh, Spud!" my mom cries out. She runs over to me as tears pour down her face. Leaning over my mom's shoulder, I catch Jadyn's eyes; he's smiling. So are Rogan and Taryn, though Jadyn's smile is much bigger than theirs. I understand what's going on. My siblings hate me because I'm my mom's favorite. They all think I'm a big baby, and they can't wait to have me out of the house.

I begin to sob as well. "Shhhh," my mom says as she strokes my hair. "Calm down. It's going to be okay. Yes, you may be going into the Hunger Games, but you're not dead yet. You've got a fair shot, just like everyone else." Jadyn smirks and rolls his eyes. My mom doesn't notice.

"Listen," my mom begins, her voice becoming more steady by the second. "The sponsors are going to love you. You're a handsome young man, and you're super charming. They'll be eating right out of your hands in no time. Just be yourself and everything will go smoothly."

My mom keeps giving me advice until a Peacekeeper barges in. "Time's up," he announces.

"No!" I shout, clinging onto my mom's arm. "Give us five more minutes."

"I can't do that, ," the Peacekeeper says. He waves his hand at my siblings and my mother. "You five- get out!" He points to the door.

My siblings trickle out of the room, but I refuse to let my mom leave. I hang onto her arm as tight as I can. "Don't leave me, Mom!" I yell. "Don't let them take you away!"

But they do take her away. A pair of Peacekeepers pry my mom away from me and carry her towards the door. She blows me kisses as tears pour down her face. "I love you, Spud," she says right before the door slams shut.

 **Jasmine Kingston**

I'm absolutely shocked when the door opens and my uncle walks in. I can't believe he came to visit me. I didn't expect him to even notice that I was reaped. My shock must be evident on my face because my uncle says, "What? You didn't think I'd come to see you? I _am_ your official guardian." I snort, but I manage to cover it up with a cough. _Official guardian_... what a joke. My uncle sits down in an armchair and gazes out the window.

It soon becomes evident that my uncle came here reluctantly. As the seconds tick by, he just sits in his chair and stares out the window as I tap my fingernails on the glass table. He doesn't say a word. I think he came here merely because it would be awkward if he didn't. He doesn't want to be known as ' _the guardian who didn't visit his kid when she was about to die._ '

My uncle's visit takes forever. After what seems like hours, a Peacekeeper opens the door and tells my uncle to leave. My uncle turns to me and opens his mouth. "Well, good luck, kid," he says. "I hope you don't die." And with those great words hanging in the air, he follows the Peacekeeper across the room and out the door.

 **District Twelve Reapings:**

 **Trenton Stewart**

 _Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!_

I open my eyes and yawn as the tapping continues. "What?" I ask the tapper in a slightly aggravated voice.

"Mom says you need to get dressed and come eat breakfast with us," my brother Jamie answers.

"Okay," I groan. "I'll be there in a minute." I open my closet and pull out a gray shirt and a pair of tan pants. As usual, the pants are too big. They're hand-me-downs, just like everything else in my closet. Once I'm dressed, I take a quick glance into the mirror. Satisfied, I leave my room for the kitchen.

As I walk through the house, I can't help but notice how quiet it is. I'm not used to this. When I was young, silence never happened in the Stewart household- probably owing to the fact that I have four older brothers. Now, however, three of them have moved out. There's not as many wrestling matches in the hallways or loud arguments over who gets the last slice of bread anymore. Now that it's just me, Jamie, and my parents, things are a lot calmer.

I enter the kitchen and sit down with my family. "Here you go, shrimp," Jamie says as he hands me a slice of bread. Even though I'm not excessively small or skinny, that nickname is going to stick with me for the rest of my life. I was born prematurely, so I was extremely sickly and tiny. There was about a five percent chance of my survival, but somehow, I defied all odds and grew into a healthy boy. So now, all of my brothers (and even my parents) call me shrimp.

Once we've eaten our breakfast, my dad stands up to tell us it's time to go. It looks like my dad wasn't able to find any clean clothes. He's worked in the mines for almost forty years, so everything he owns is stained with coal dust. I used to joke about his clothes until I learned that that's going to be me in forty years. All of my brothers work in the coal mines, and in less than a year, I'll be working there too.

The four of us walk out the front door and begin our hike to the reapings. I get the same feeling in the pit of my stomach that I get every year. When I was only twelve, one of my best friends was reaped. His name was Chad, and he actually did pretty well, for a twelve-year-old. On day three, the Careers found him and tortured him to death. Since then, I've cut myself off from most of my friendships. I didn't want anything like that to happen again. I realized that all I need in life is family. Somehow, all four of my brothers made it to their nineteenth birthdays without being reaped. To achieve that same goal, all I have to do is survive the reapings for another two years.

Eventually, we arrive at the town square. My parents embrace me in a huge hug. Even my brother joins in a second later. I know what they're thinking. If I can make it through two more reapings, then all four Stewart boys will have made it to adulthood. We might need a miracle, but then again, my birth and survival was a miracle too. "Good luck," my mom says once we pull away. "We love you."

"I love you too," I say. As the three of them walk over to the spectators' section, I head for the sign in table. All I need is two more years of luck. Or else, I'll receive the same fate as Chaz.

 **Mindi Hostler**

I step into the kitchen and frown. My mon is busy cooking something on the stove, but I can't tell what it is. "Are those waffles?" I ask her.

"Nope. Pancakes," she replies.

" _Ugggh_ , Mom, I thought I told you I wanted waffles," I groan.

"Yes but Alexis and Lia said they wanted pancakes," my mom says. "So that's what I cooked."

I roll my eyes. "Thanks a lot, _Mom_ ," I snap. I grab a plate of waffles and haul it off to my room, where I can eat alone. My family can get _so_ annoying sometimes. My sisters _idolize_ my mother, and she just laps it up. My mom is a model; I'm pretty sure she's the only one in District Twelve, but we need _someone_ to represent our district. We live in the merchant section of town, so my mom models for basically all of the shops that sell clothes. My sisters aspire to be models, like my mom, but that'll never happen. _I'm_ the one who inherited my mother's beauty, so _I'll_ be the one doing the modeling.

I sit down on my bed and begin eating my waffles. I turn on the television and begin watching a Capitol beauty show that aired last week. I've already seen it once, but the dresses and outfits were just so pretty that I _have_ to see it again. I wish I lived in the Capitol. Then, I could walk in fashion shows just like these. I _hate_ District Twelve so much. It's _so_ disgusting, and the people are even _more_ disgusting than anything else. _Honestly_ , don't the Seam kids know what a shower is? And don't even get me started on the coal miners. I don't think _any_ of them know what a washing machine is. They wear the sane dirty, black clothes every day, and they don't seem to care. It's honestly the _grossest_ thing in the world.

When the show ends, I decide I should probably get ready for the reapings. I throw on my _favorite_ purple dress. It hugs my curves and drops low at the neckline, so I've been told I look _great_ in it. If I'm lucky, the cameramen will get some footage of me for the Capitolites to see. When the Capitolites see how _gorgeous_ and _sexy_ I am, they'll _have_ to invite me to the Capitol to model. Once I zip up my dress, I spend about half an hour applying my makeup and brushing my hair. If I want to get noticed, I _have_ to look my best. After one final look in the mirror, I walk back downstairs to my family.

I walk out the front door, where my mom and sisters are waiting for me. Alexis is wearing a sparkly red dress while Lia is wearing a silky, peach-colored one. I almost laugh when I see their makeup. They _obviously_ aren't as talented as our mom- or me. I can see a zit on Alexis's chin, and Lia's eyeliner is crooked. Honestly, the _Seam_ kids could do a better job, and they don't even know what concealer or eyeliner is.

A few minutes later, we arrive at the reapings. My mom gives each of us a kiss on the cheek and then struts away in her six-inch heels. I get my finger pricked (I close my eyes because I can't stand blood) and then head to the seventeen-year-old section. As I'm looking for my friends, I spot someone else- someone who brings a devious smile to my face- Jake Rosenthal.

Jake Rosenthal got on my bad side when we were eight years old. He called me a "meanie" in school, so I decided I would get him back for it. I started off by tripping him in the halls and small stuff like that, but my pranks and schemes have become _much_ more elaborate. He's a pathetic little Seam kid, so it's easy (and not to mention, fun) to pull pranks on him. A few years ago, I threw a cream pie in his face on his birthday. Just last month, my friends and I set up a bucket of water that poured all over him when he opened the door. Picking on Jake is one of my _favorite_ pastimes, and I don't think it'll ever come to an end.

It only takes me a second to decide how I'll pick on Jake today. I take off one of my heels, creep up behind him, and jab the pointy end of the heel into the back of his shirt. I run the heel down the length of the shirt, leaving a huge gash. Jake whips around, realizes who I am, and glares at me, not daring to say anything. " _Whoops_ ," I say, a smile covering my face. "Silly me. I must've tripped over this rock." I reach down, pick up a stone from the ground, and chuck it at Jake's head. It misses, but I honestly don't care. I'm about to pick on him some more when our escort appears on stage. "Oops, gotta run," I say. "See ya later, Jakey." I give Jake a wave and head off to find my friends.

I make it over to my posse just as Chelsea Songbird mounts the stage. I absolutely _adore_ Chelsea. She has a _fabulous_ sense of style, and I'm sad that she only comes once a year. Today, Chelsea is dressed in a purple skirt (just a shade lighter than my dress) and a black, sleeveless shirt with purple polka dots. Her beautiful hair (dyed purple to match her outfit) is twisted into an _elaborate_ bun, and her makeup is done _flawlessly_. Chelsea, just as she does every year, shows us the video from the Capitol as all of us watch and pretend to be interested. When the video finally ends, Chelsea announces that she's going to draw a female name. It's about time! Chelsea struts over to the glass bowl on her right and plucks a single slip of paper out.

"Mindi Hostler."

"What?" I shriek. "What did you just say?"

"Mindi Hostler," Chelsea repeats.

"Arrrggghhh!" I let out a yell of frustration and begin stomping my way up to the stage. How could I be reaped? Every year it's always some stupid Seam kid with dozens of tessarae. Why should it be different this year? As I make my way up to the stage, a young boy gets in my way. "Move, idiot!" I shout as I shove him to the ground. A few seconds later, another kid blocks my path. "Get out of the way!" I yell as I shove the girl to the ground too. Why is this district so annoying? Eventually, I reach the stage. I cross my arms and stand next to Chelsea, waiting to see who will be accompanying me to the Capitol.

 **Trenton Stewart**

I can't help but smile a bit as Mindi storms her way up to the stage. I know her from school, and she's easily the meanest girl there. She leads a posse of about half a dozen girls who constantly pick on poor Seam kids like me. Somehow, I've managed to avoid being picked on by Mindi, but the same can't be said for Jake Rosenthal, a boy who lives down the street from me. For some reason, Mindi can't seem to leave him alone. Now, it looks like Jake will get the peace and quiet he deserves.

Mindi stands on the stage with fire in her eyes. It's a shame that she's pretty. She'll get sponsors for that, which could help her survive for a few days. Ignoring Mindi, Chelsea strolls over to the second glass bowl to choose a male name. She reaches her hand in and yanks out the first slip that her fingers touch. She walks back over to her podium, unravels the slip, clears her throat, and reads the name.

"Trenton Stewart."

My heart stops. Or, at least, it feels like it does. My whole body goes ice-cold. I begin my slow walk up to the stage. I feel like one of the zombies back in the last Quarter Quell. It takes me forever to reach the stage. When I finally do, I'm told to shake hands with Mindi. Then, I'm ushered into the Justice Building, a blank expression still on my face.

I'm sent into a room where I sit in silence for about fifteen minutes. I don't think my mind has processed what's going on yet. It doesn't matter. In another week or two, I'll be dead. I know there's no chance of a weak boy from District Twelve winning the Games. It's impossible. It can't be done. In a few hours, I'm gonna board a train- one that will lead me straight to my death.

The door finally opens, and my parents and all four of my brothers walk through the door. "It was tricky getting all of us in here at the same time," my dad says, "but I think the Peacekeeper saw compassion for us." My brothers squeeze onto the couch as my mom and dad find themselves armchairs. Once everyone's settled in, my mom speaks.

"Trenton, honey, I'm so sorry this happened to you. It's completely unfair. You were the luckiest baby in all of Panem when you survived your premature birth. You had a five percent chance of survival and you defied all odds and lived. And now, even though it seems like the odds have turned against you, you can't lose hope. We all believe in you, Trenton."

"You've been wrestling with us your whole life," Jamie says, motioning to himself and my other brothers. "You won't be the weakest one out there. You may not be the strongest one, but that doesn't matter. All that matters is you believe in yourself."

For the rest of their visit, my family talks about how much they love me and believe in me and hope I come home. They give me sponsorship advice, and I simply nod my head at whatever they say. I appreciate what they're trying to do, but it's not working. I know I'm already dead. They can't convince me otherwise. When their time runs out, I give everyone a hug, and then wave as a Peacekeeper leads them away. I'm going to miss them so much.

My next visitor takes me by surprise. The door opens a second time, and Chaz's older sister walks into the room. "Adrianne? What are you doing here?" I ask her.

Adrianne takes a deep breath. "Well first of all, I want to say that I'm sorry that this happened to you. Five years ago, you watched your best friend die in the Hunger Games- my brother. It's very sad and unfortunate that you were reaped this year, but life isn't fair, I guess. So, good luck out there. Maybe you can do what Chaz couldn't, and make it back home."

"Thanks," I say, "but I doubt I'll make it any further than Chaz did. My chances of winning aren't exactly high."

"I don't care if you win or lose!" Adrianne says forcefully. "Make Chaz proud and don't let them win no matter what!" Her voice cracks and tears form in her eyes. She runs out of the room before I can stop her.

Alone once more, I think about what Adrianne just said. I'm assuming she meant the careers when she said 'don't let them win.' The careers tortured Chaz to death five years ago, and I haven't forgotten. Even though I know I'm not going to win the Games, I can do this, for Chaz. "Don't worry," I say aloud, even though Adrianne's gone. "I will avenge Chaz's death. The careers will not win this year. I promise."

 **Mindi Hostler**

My mom comes in first. She's alone; my sisters are nowhere to be seen. "Where are Lia and Alexis?" I ask her.

"They figured you'd rather see me alone. They didn't think visiting you was a good idea." I shrug. For probably the first time in their lives, my sisters were right. Why would I want them to visit me if I don't like them?

"Mindi, you're going to have so much fun in the Capitol," my mom says. "You're so lucky to be going there. The fashion and culture in the Capitol is exquisite. "

"I know," I say. "I'm _so_ excited. But what about the Hunger Games? How am I supposed to win?"

"Mindi, you're the prettiest girl in all of Panem. Use your beauty, and you'll be fine. You'll get plenty of sponsors for your looks. They can send you anything you need to win. And in the arena, you can charm a strong male, preferably one of the Careers. If you get their protection, you'll win, hands down."

"Okay," I say. After all, she's right. Boys can be very stupid. All you have to do is give them a pretty face, and they're content. It'll be easy for me to slither my way into the Career alliance.

"Besides, think about what'll happen if you win," my mom continues. "You'll get to practically live in the Capitol. You'll be a fashion goddess! Instead of competing in fashion shows, you'll be judging them! All you have to do is win the Hunger Games, and your glamorous future is set."

A Peacekeeper suddenly walks in to take my mom away. "Good luck, Mindi," she says as the Peacekeeper escorts her out. "You've always been my favorite daughter. You can win the Games, I know you can."

The door shuts, and I sit in silence again. A few minutes later, my friends burst in. "Oh my gosh," my friend Lydia says. "You looked absolutely _stunning_ when you were reaped."

"Totally," Shelbi adds. "You looked so badass! The way you glared at the crowd- they're all going to fear you."

"Not to mention, they'll all want to _be_ you," Lucianne adds. "You're going to be the prettiest girl out there."

"I know," I say. "But looks don't always win the Games."

"Are you kidding? Of _course_ they do," Emma Lee says. "The Gamemakers would never pick an ugly victor. It would ruin the whole image of the Hunger Games."

"And think about what'll happen when you win," Shelbi says. "You'll get to spend as much time in the Capitol as you want. You'll have more money than everyone in the district combined."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," I say. "I haven't won the Games... _yet_."

My friends burst into laughter. "You're so funny," Reyanne says. "The Capitol is going to love you just as much as you love the Capitol."

For the next few minutes, my friends continue to talk about how awesome the Capitol is going to be and how I'm gonna have so much fun. "We're going to miss you so much," Lucianne says when the Peacekeeper walks in to take them away. My other friends nod in agreement.

"If you win, will you take us all on a trip to the Capitol?" Lydia asks.

"Of course," I say. "You guys are my _best_ friends. I'll see you when I get back."

"Bye!" all of them shout as the door shuts. I'm really going to miss my posse. I wonder if I'll make some new best friends in the Capitol.

 **So if you guys have been looking at my profile recently, you'll know that I've been having some technical difficulties lately. I write and upload all my chapters on my kindle fire, which recently had its browser updated. For some reason, the new browser wouldn't let me copy and paste my chapters from my notebook page to the internet. For a few days, I tried a bunch of different ways to transfer my documents to the internet, but nothing worked. So, I began the painstaking process of rewriting all 5,800+ words into fanfiction's document editor.**

 **I was about 80% done with this process when kindle fire's browser re-updated. Thankfully, the new browser now allows me to copy and paste, so things should go back to normal. I'm extremely sorry for the late update, but there wasn't much I could do about it. What would've taken me two to three weeks ended up taking over a month, despite winter break. On a happier note, the reapings are finally done! So chapters should be posted a lot more frequently now.**

 **Please vote in the poll I just put up on my profile! For those of you who are new to my stories, polls let me know which characters you guys (the readers) like the most. That way, I have help in deciding who to kill next. You can vote for up to four tributes, so make sure you skim through some of the earlier reapings chapters and decide who you like the best before voting.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	9. The Train Rides

**Train Rides:**

 **Mason Riley (Victor of the 126th Hunger Games)**

I sit in the train car by myself as I wait for Ty and Mileena to arrive. They've been taking forever, and I can't wait much longer. As odd as it sounds, I'm very excited to mentor this year. I've known Ty for years. We've trained at the Academy together since we were little, and we were always the strongest ones there. We have a lot of the same ideas about the Games, so guiding him through them shouldn't be too hard.

The only thing that bothers me about this year's tributes is Mileena. She was supposed to be my district partner last year, but when Jessie was reaped, she decided to wait until this year to compete. She left me with an unliked, fourteen-year-old for a district partner, and I'll never forget that. However, I did win, so I guess I really shouldn't be mad at Mileena. Who knows- if she had competed, it could've messed up the whole dynamic of the Games, and I could've lost.

At last, the door swings open. Ty and Mileena enter the train car with Hepeta, their escort. "And now you'll get to meet your _amazing_ escorts," Hepeta says, beaming at me and my sister, Missy, who just entered the train car through a different door.

"We all know each other," I tell Hepeta. "We've been training together for over a decade."

"Oh," says Hepeta, looking slightly taken aback. She must not be used to mentors already being familiar with the tributes. I'm sure that sort of thing never happened when she was in District Six. "I'll just let you guys... catch up."

Hepeta walks back out the door, leaving the four of us by ourselves. "Congratulations, guys," I say. "I would stand up to shake your hands, but I've been sick lately. I don't want you guys going into the arena with a cold."

"No problem, Mason," Tyroarius says. "How've you been?"

"Well, other than the fact that I've been sick for half a week, I'm okay," I say. "The Capitol doctors have already told me they'll give me medicine when I get there, so I'll be good to go tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Ty says.

"So, are you guys gonna lay on the advice now?" Mileena asks, smiling. "Is it time for our first lesson?"

"Very funny," I say. "You guys already know what to do during the Games. You've been training for it for practically your whole lives. These next few days should be a lot of fun for you two."

"Hey, the recaps are starting," Missy says. "We should probably watch them."

The four of us gather around the television as District One appears on the screen. First, a blonde, seventeen-year-old girl named Jade beats a second girl to the stage. She seems like an average female career, but looks can be deceiving. The male tribute, Lumiere, is a joke. He's only fifteen and he's super scrawny. I groan. Why would someone like that volunteer for the Games? There's no way he's getting into the career alliance.

After we watch Ty and Mileena volunteer, the cameras switch to District Three. First, a pissed-off girl named Valerie is reaped. A minute later, a tiny, thirteen-year-old boy named Jazper joins her onstage. Neither of these tributes will make it very far. Like District One, District Four also disappoints me a bit. A small girl named Bebe volunteers for the female spot. She's got a little bit of muscle to her, but she can't be much taller than five feet. The male tribute, Micah, isn't too bad. He looks up to standards, but we won't know until we meet him.

In District Five, a skinny, dark-haired girl named Claire is reaped. She doesn't look like anything special. The male tribute, Jerry, is the son of a victor. The Peacekeepers have to drag him onto the stage, despite his yells and protests. He doesn't seem like the kind of boy to engage in physical activity, so he should be killed pretty fast. In District Six, a girl named Alexus is reaped. She has a pretty interesting appearance with her bright, blue eyes and straight, black hair. Something about this girl tells me she shouldn't be overlooked. The male tribute, Cole, is the strongest-looking non-Career I've seen so far. If his weapon skills are good, he might have a shot in the Career alliance.

District Seven presents us with a pretty unlikely duo. The girl, named Cleo, is very pretty. She'll get sponsors for her looks. The boy, named Kairen, is a volunteer. Kairen looks like he hasn't gotten a decent meal in years. He's extremely skinny and sickly-looking. He won't make it past the bloodbath. Why would he volunteer if he has no chance of winning? District Eight adds two more skinny tributes to the group. The girl, a brown-skinned girl named Kiyata, doesn't look like anything special. The boy, Lindroz, doesn't look like a physical threat, but he has a confident look in his eye that I can't explain.

District Nine is... interesting. First, a pretty girl named Circe volunteers. She's wearing a shroud and has a very mystical aura about her. The boy, Logan, seems to be slightly... unhinged. When he's reaped, he walks up to the stage, laughing hysterically. In District Ten, a girl named Muna is reaped. She'd be pretty if it weren't for a huge scar that runs across her face. The male tribute, Sable, catches my attention. He's tall, muscular, and even a little bit handsome. He could be a great addition to the Career alliance.

In District Eleven, two definite bloodbaths are reaped. A dark-haired girl named Jasmine becomes the first twelve-year-old to be reaped. When she walks up to the stage, however, she doesn't look scared. If anything, she looks pissed off. The male tribute, Spud, is two years older than Jasmine, but if I didn't know that, I'd think he was two years younger. As soon as Spud's name is called, he breaks down in tears and tries to run away. A Peacekeeper has to force him onstage; it's a pretty easy task because the kid probably only weighs eighty pounds.

And finally, two seventeen-year-olds are reaped in District Twelve. The female tribute, Mindi, seems like a bitch. When her name is called, she screams at the top of her lungs and looks mad enough to punch a Peacekeeper. As she stomps up to the stage, she shoves multiple kids out of the way. It's a shame that she's pretty. She'll get sponsors for that. The male tribute, Trenton, doesn't look like much. He's very skinny, and he walks up to the stage with a look of absolute shock on his face. The only thing remotely interesting about him is his piercing blue eyes. At last, Tristan Honeybee wraps up the program, and the show ends.

"So what do you guys think?" Missy asks Ty and Mileena. "See any potential allies?"

"I like all of the other Careers except for the boy from District One," Mileena says.

"Yeah, the girls from One and Four are slightly disappointing, but I think we can work with them," Ty says. "It'll just make it easier for us to defeat them in the end."

"What about non-Careers?" I ask. "Do you see any potential allies there?"

"The guys from Six and Ten have potential," Ty says, and I nod in agreement.

"But we won't know until we meet them," Mileena says. "So I say we just wait to see what they're like during training."

"Good thinking," Missy says. "Looks can be deceiving."

Hepeta suddenly bursts into the room. "Sorry, but I _must_ show the tributes to their quarters," she says, almost glaring at me and Missy. "It's getting late, and they need their sleep; the chariot rides are tomorrow."

"They're all yours," I say, waving my hand towards Mileena and Tyroarius.

"I'll come too," Missy says as she stifles a yawn. "We have a busy few days ahead of us."

The four of them walk out the door, leaving me by myself. I'm pretty happy with this year's crop of tributes. Ty shouldn't have too difficult of a time out there. The only tribute who could be a threat to him is Micah, the boy from District Four. However, since they're Careers, we won't have to worry about him until late in the Games.

 **Piper Hagen (Victor of the 125th Hunger Games)**

I feel sick to my stomach. I sit in the chair and wait for Jasmine and Spud to enter. I can't believe I'm doing this again. Just because it's my second year mentoring doesn't mean it'll be any easier. It's tough to be optimistic about Jasmine. The truth is, she has no chance of winning. That's saying something, coming from me. I may have won because of luck, but Jasmine will need a lot more luck than I had to win.

Theo, my fellow mentor, walks through the door. I actually don't mind Theo that much. Theo is in his forties, and he won the Games almost three decades ago. He's nice to me, and he understands my situation. He does have a slight alcohol addiction, but for the past few years, he's managed to keep it in check. "Hey, Pipes," he says as he strolls into the room. "What's going on."

"Not much," I say. "I'm just... thinking."

"I've just been told the tributes will be arriving in ten minutes," Theo says. "And the recaps of the reapings are starting soon, so we can watch them with our tributes."

"Sounds good," I say. Theo turns on the tv, and we watch a show about President Trekk for a few minutes. I don't pay attention to it; I hate President Trekk. Finally, District Eleven's escort, June Summers, leads Spud and Jasmine in. Spud's eyes are bright red from crying, and Jasmine's hands are shaking and running through her hair.

"Well, here are your mentors," June says, beaming at us. "I'll let you guys get acquainted." June exits the train car, leaving Theo and I with our tributes.

"Hey guys," Theo says. "The recaps are about to begin, so I suggest we watch and see what you guys are up against. We can talk strategy later."

Neither Jasmine nor Spud says anything, but they sit down right in front of the television. A minute later, the recaps finally begin. District One appears onscreen, and we watch as two tributes volunteer. The girl, Jade, looks like a normal Career. She's very pretty, with long blond hair and green eyes, and she has a slightly muscular build. The boy, Lumiere, is a different story. He's by far the skinniest tribute I've seen come out of District One. He obviously wasn't the designated volunteer. The only thing notable about him is his good looks.

Spud bursts into tears at the sight of the District Two tributes. The girl, a brunette named Mileena, saunters onstage with a confident, arrogant look in her eyes. Like Jade, she looks like a pretty normal Career. The boy, Tyroarius, is quite scary; he reduces Spud to hysterics. Tyroarius is muscular, slightly attractive, and has a scar that runs across his forehead. He'll definitely make it far. In District Three, a feisty, strawberry-blond, fifteen-year-old girl named Valerie is reaped. Even though she probably hasn't trained, Valerie looks tough enough to last a while. Jazper, the thirteen-year-old male tribute, is almost as pathetic as Spud. Somehow, he manages to hold himself together as he stands onstage, but his face remains as white as a sheet.

In District Four, a small, slightly muscular girl named Bebe volunteers. She doesn't look like much, but since she's a Career, I bet she has some tricks hiding up her sleeve. The male tribute, Micah, is just as indimidating as Tyroarius. Spud lets out another sob and buries his head in a pillow. In District Five, a skinny, brown-haired, eighteen-year-old girl named Claire is reaped. The male tribute Jerry, joins her onstage a minute later. Jerry is the son of a victor, and he throws a temper tantrum when he's reaped. Despite his 'preformance,' he'll get sponsors easily; he's the son of a victor and he's handsome.

A fifteen-year-old girl names Alexus is reaped in District Six. Alexus has a unique appearance, with bright blue eyes and jet black hair. Unlike most of the other tributes, she looks calm and collected as she stands onstage. Her district partner, Cole, has black hair as well. He's the most muscular non-Career so far, so he's definitely a threat. I glance over at Spud, expecting another outburst, but his head is still buried in the pillow. The District Seven tribute, Cleo, is extremely pretty. With her emerald green eyes, pale blond hair, thin lips, and long lashes, she'll have more sponsors than she can count. Kairen, the male tribute, is a volunteer. He doesn't look strong or muscular, so I have no idea why he volunteered. His long, blond hair covers half of his face, so I have no idea if he's attractive or not.

In District Eight, a skinny, seventeen-year-old girl named Kiyata is reaped. Kiyata has an exotic appearance with her brown skin, dark hair, and almond-shaped eyes. She'd be very pretty if she didn't look like she hasn't eaten in months. The male tribute Lindtroz, is also fairly skinny. He has black hair, pale skin, and dark eyes. Neither of these tributes seem like threats, but for some reason, they both have confident looks on their faces.

In District Nine, two interesting tributes join the pack. The female, Circe, is a volunteer. Even though she wears a shroud that covers half of her face, I can tell that she's beautiful. Overall, she looks like some sort of mysterious maiden. Why in the world would she volunteer? Circe's district partner, Logan, may actually need to see a psychiatrist when he arrives in the Capitol. When his name is called, Logan throws back his head and laughs hysterically. Spud, who has emerged from his pillow, whimpers loudly. Honestly, I don't blame him; Logan has the potential to go insane in the arena (not that he isn't insane already). In the past, insane tributes have done some very horrible things to their fellow tributes.

District Ten adds two more interesting tributes to the mix. The female tribute, Muna, is wearing a necklace with some sort of cross on it. Muna has dark hair, skin, and eyes, and she has a scar on her forehead. She'd be pretty if it weren't for the scar. The male tribute, Sable, looks very strong, for a non-Career. He's tall and muscular, with sandy hair, tan skin, and gray eyes. He's decently attractive, and he seems to be wearing a wolf cloak on his back.

After we watch Jasmine and Spud get reaped, District Twelve appears onscreen. First, an unpleasant girl named Mindi is reaped. Mindi is gorgeous, with flowing blond hair, an olive skin tone, and chocolate brown eyes. However, her pretty face is twisted into a look of hatred as she shoves kids out of the way to reach the stage. The male tribute, Trenton, keeps a solemn expression on his face as he takes his place next to Mindi. He isn't very handsome, but he's got bright blue eyes, his only memorable feature.

The program ends and Theo speaks up. "So what do you guys think? See any potential allies?"

"Everyone's gonna kill me!" Spud sobs. He stands up and runs out of the train car.

"Okay," Theo says, a sad expression on his face.

"What about you, Jasmine?" I ask her.

"Allies are stupid," Jasmine says, stonefaced. She stands up and follows Spud out the door.

Theo sighs and looks over at me. "This is gonna be a tough year," he says.

I nod and stare out the window. Even though Jasmine might not want any help, I have to be there for her. I have to believe in her. "I think I'm gonna go too," I say to Theo. I walk out of the train car and into my room. I lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling as my mind runs in a million directions. I don't fall asleep for hours.

 **I think two chapters in less than ten days is a new record for me. :-P This chapter didn't take long to write, and even though it's kind of short, I think it's a good way to recap the tributes and revisit our past victors.**

 **Thanks to all of you who voted in the poll. It's still open, so if you forgot to vote, get yourself over to my profile and pick your four favorite tributes.**

 **Next chapter will be the chariot rides.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	10. The Chariot Rides

**Chariot Rides** :

 **Jerry Porch (D5 M 15)**

"Stop it! That hurts!" I scream at my prep team as they harshly scrub my entire body down. "I'm not even dirty!" The three of then ignore me and continue to scrub every square inch of my body. They must be used to taking care of poor, disheveled, filthy tributes. But I'm not like that, so I don't understand why they have to spend so much time washing me. I'm the richest kid in District Five! My dad is a freaking victor! Why should I be subjected to this insanity?

After another long hour, my prep team finishes decontaminating me. They style my hair, brush some makeup onto my face, and then send me to my stylist, Lennox. Lenox takes one looks at my naked body and says, "We may have to make some moderations on your costume," he says.

"What do you mean?" I ask. "There's nothing wrong with me! I'm the best looking teenager in District Five!"

"That's my point," Lennox says. "Normally, the District Five tributes are scrawny and unattractive. But you're handsome, and you've even got some muscle to you."

"I know," I say. "I was planning on volunteering when I turned eighteen."

"I can see why," Lennox says. "So back to your costume- I think we're going to alter it so you can show more skin. You may not be as intimidating as the Careers, but for a fifteen-year-old who didn't volunteer, you're pretty impressive. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go cut some pieces off of your costume. I'll be back in a few minutes." Lennox leaves, and I decide that I like him. Unlike my escort, mentor, and district partner, I feel like he understands me. He knows that I'm intimidating, and he's going to help me prove that to everyone.

Twenty minutes later, Lennox reappears with my... costume. It's a pair of black shorts with little yellow lightning bolts on it. "That's my costume?" I ask.

"Yup," Lennox says. "Since District Five is the power district, we decided that lightning bolts would be a good representation of that. When your chariot rolls out, the little bolts will light up." Lennox hands me the shorts, which I pull over my legs. They only come to about mid-thigh. "So, do you like them?" Lennox asks.

"I love them," I say, being absolutely serious. "It's great that the Capitolites will get some eye candy from District Five. Thanks so much, Lennox."

"You're welcome," he says. "I'll see you later. Good luck tonight."

Lennox leads me out of the room where Ullom, my escort, and Claire, my district partner are waiting. Their eyes widen when they see what I'm wearing. Claire is wearing a dress that has the same design as my shorts, but it covers a lot more. It's long-sleeved, falls past her knees, and comes up to her collarbone. Her costume makes me wonder how much fabric Lennox cut off of my costume. "What is that?" Claire asks, looking disgusted.

"My costume," I say, wiggling my eyebrows. "Do you like it?"

"Of course not," Claire says. She looks over at Ullom. "Do I really have to stand next to him as he wears... _that_?" Claire hasn't exactly been warm to me over the past day. For some reason, I don't think she likes me much.

"Unfortunately, you do, sweetheart," Ullom says, trying to look sympathetic.

"Okay," Claire says, looking disappointed. "Well, let's go get this over with." She turns around and begins walking towards the door. I follow behind her, still wondering how she could hate someone like me.

 **Jade Platinum (D1 F 17)**

The elevator door opens, and I walk out with Lumiere, our escort, and our mentors. We've just entered what Domitia (my mentor) calls 'the launch room.' It's a gigantic, cavernous room with a huge television on the biggest wall. In less than half an hour, the chariots will be sent out into the Capitol streets from here. I can see all twelve of the chariots, lined up in order from District One to Twelve. "Now remember to interact with some potential allies," Domitia, tells me. "It's crucial to get yourself out there."

"Sounds good," I say. Lumiere looks up at his mentor, expecting to get some advice as well, but Ruby doesn't say anything. I think Ruby's already deemed him a lost cause, so I don't think Lumiere will be getting much help over the next few days.

As soon as we enter the chamber, I separate myself from the four of them and scan the arena for the other Careers. I finally spot the girls from Districts Two and Four standing by one of the chariots. I walk over to them and introduce myself. "It's Mileena and Bebe, right?" I ask.

"Yup," says Mileena, the brunette from District Two, with a sly smile on her face. "I'm assuming your district partner isn't even going to _try_ to get into the Career alliance?"

"Actually, even though he hasn't said much to me, he did mention something about wanting to get in with the Careers."

"Well, what did you tell him?" Bebe asks.

"I told him that the majority of the Careers probably wouldn't approve of him, and that he should probably find some other allies," I say. "I don't think he listened, though, so he might try to join during training."

Mileena laughs. "Why did he even volunteer?" she asks. "He looks like a single punch would snap him in half."

"I have no idea," I say. "He seemed depressed when I asked him. He didn't want to talk about it. So where are your district partners?"

"Hopefully, talking to each other," Bebe says. "Like you, my district partner, Micah, has been distant with me. He wasn't the chosen volunteer for this year. I don't know if he wants to join the Careers. We need him on our side, though, because he's very strong."

Just then, Mileena's district partner, Tyroarius sulks over. "Bad news, guys," he says. "Micah's out. He says he doesn't want anything to do with our alliance."

"So, I guess we have a problem, then," Mileena says, "because there's only four of us. We need at least one or two more members if we want a strong alliance."

"We'll have to do some recruiting during training, Bebe says. "Anyone have any ideas?"

"There were a few that stood out during the reapings," Tyroarius says. "In particular, the boys from Six and Ten showed potential."

"I agree," I say, remembering the two of them from the recaps.

An announcement sounds over the loudspeaker, interrupting our conversation."Attention tributes! Attention tributes! Please take your places on your respective chariots. The ceremony will be beginning momentarily." I wave goodbye to Mileena, Bebe, and Tyroarius, and begin walking towards the first chariot.

As I take my place next to Lumiere, I think about the conversation I just had with the Careers. Although I am allying myself with them, it's only a temporary alliance. About two or three days into the Games, as soon as I've gathered enough food and supplies, I'm leaving them. What's interesting is that the Career alliance seems like it'll be very small this year. Once I leave, there'll only be three people in it. This does work in my favor, because I won't have to take on a huge Career alliance if I make it to the end.

Something else that interests me is Micah. By refusing to ally with the Careers, he's put a huge target on his back. We haven't even entered the Games and he's already enemy number one. Although, I have to admit, I'm impressed by the way he stood up to Tyroarius and refused to ally with him, despite the consequences. A lightbulb suddenly turns on in my head. Maybe, Micah's refusal to ally with the Careers will work in my favor as well. First, I'll have to see if I can trust him, but Micah might end up having a bigger role in my strategy than I could've ever imagined.

 **Sable Maren (D10 M 18)**

I take my spot in the chariot next to Muna. Over the past day, Muna hasn't exactly been friendly with me. I never expected her to be, though. This is the Hunger Games, and making friends with people you don't trust can really bite you in the butt in the end. Muna's probably a really nice girl to people she knows. Ever since she was reaped, she's been trying to act tough, and honestly, it's working, despite the fact that she's three years younger and half a foot shorter than me. There's a big scar that stretches across her forehead that makes her seem very intimidating. I haven't asked her how she got the scar, but I'm sure whatever happened made her stronger than she was before. Although many people will look over Muna and cast her off as a bloodbath, I think she has the potential to go very far.

As the other tributes take their places in their chariots, I keep my eyes out for potential allies. Although we haven't even entered the training center yet, allies are crucial to making it far in the Games, and I'm trying to get a head start. Cole, the boy from District Six, definitely has potential. We're the same age, and we may be the two strongest non-Careers. I think I'll go up to him tomorrow and ask if he wants to be my ally. I can always change my mind after I get to know him, but from the outside, he seems to be a respectable guy.

In terms of allies, I've also noticed something weird going on with the Careers. A few minutes ago, I saw Tyroarius, the boy from District Two, go up to Micah, the boy from District Four and ask him something (probably if he wanted to be allies). Micah then narrowed his eyes, gave his response, and walked away from Tyroarius, who then went to talk to the girls from Districts One, Two, and Four. I may be wrong, but it seems like Micah doesn't want any part in the Career alliance. Even though he's against allying with them, there's a chance he could be open to allying with someone else- me. I think I'll keep my eyes out for him during training, and if he seems like a decent guy, maybe I'll ask him if he wants to be allies.

If I manage to get Cole and Tyroarius on my side, we could take the Games by storm. We'd be just as strong (or maybe even stronger) as the Careers. I'll talk to my mentor and see what he thinks, but I'm thinking this will be the best thing for me. Even if it doesn't work out, it's best to keep my options open. I don't want to ally with just anyone, because I want strength on my side. So, if those two don't want to be in an alliance, I may have to fly solo.

Suddenly, the big television screen on the other side of the launch room flickers to life with a picture of the Panem Seal. The Panem Anthem echoes throughout the huge room, and then President Trekk appears on-screen. He welcomes everyone and then begins a speech about this year's upcoming Games. As he speaks, another announcement comes across the loudspeaker. "Attention tributes! Attention tributes! The chariots will begin moving in approximately one minute. Please prepare yourself accordingly."

I take one final look at my costume. My stylist really liked my wolf cloak that I was wearing during the reapings, so he altered it a bit, and now it's part of my costume. He said it would work to my advantage because now, I have a more original identity. People will know me as "the wolf boy" rather than "the boy from District Ten." I have to say, I agree with him, and I hope the wolf cloak will attract some sponsors.

Muna's stylist decided to dress Muna in a sheep costume, which acts as a compliment to my costume. I feel bad for her. Sheep aren't exactly threatening animals, and wolves have a reputation for killing sheep. Unless it's absolutely necessary, I'm going to try not to kill "the sheep" during the Games. That would just be wrong. In fact, I don't plan on killing any of the younger tributes, because it's just like a wolf slaughtering a defenseless sheep. Instead, I'll focus on eliminating the Careers. They're the ones that need to go if I want a shot at victory.

 **Mindi Hostler (D12 F 17)**

The giant door in front of the District One chariot finally opens. It's about time! The president only talked for about four years. As the first chariot begins moving towards the crowd, I look up at the giant television screen that sits up on the wall opposite from us. The screen shows the District One tributes, who are dressed in _fabulous_ costumes. The boy wears a black suit with jewels lining the edges of his coat. The girl wears a hot pink dress with jewels, a white fur coat and a silver tiara. I feel a pang of jealously as I look at the two tributes. They're so lucky that they live in District One, the luxury district. Being a model there would be _amazing_ ; there's _so_ much expensive clothing and accessories there.

A few seconds later, the District Two chariot sets off. These two tributes are wearing gladiator costumes. They both have helmets and body armor on, but the armor is cut away in certain places to display their muscular bodies. Since the District Two tributes are gladiators nearly every year, it's gotten kind of old. The cameras switch to the District Three tributes, who are dressed in costumes that must represent some sort of computer technology thing. There's lots of blinking lights and silver squares, but I find it _extremely_ dull. The tributes' faces are kind of amusing, though. The boy's face is very pale; he must be pretty overwhelmed. The girl looks like she's bored to the point of annoyance.

Next comes the District Four chariot. I always _love_ their costumes, and this year is no different. The girl is dressed in silky, blue-green fabric that flows around her body like she's a goddess. The boy is wearing a pair of shorts made out of the same fabric, and he holds a golden trident in his hand. I could stare at that chariot for hours, so I have to force my eyes away to look at the District Five chariot. Both tributes are dressed in black costumes with little, yellow, light up lightning bolts on them. The similarities stop there, however. The girl looks pretty normal; she's wearing a dress that covers much of her body. The boy's costume is a different story; it covers his privates and about a third of his thighs, but that's all. I'm not complaining though because the boy has a _great_ body. And I think he's the son of a victor, which means he's rich.

Once again, I have to force my eyes away to focus on the next chariot. Unfortunately, the District Six tributes may have the _dullest_ costumes of the night (so far). I think they're supposed to be train conductors; they're both wearing blue, pinstriped jumpsuits with matching hats. I think I would _die_ if someone tried to force me into that costume. District Seven appears next. Both tributes are dressed in stereotypical tree costumes. The only thing remotely interesting about the costumes is the leaves. When light hits them, the leaves reflect hues of red, orange, and gold. It's a nice touch, but I still wouldn't be caught dead wearing that.

The District Eight chariot appears on-screen next. The tributes are wearing what looks like pajamas, made out of hundreds of little, colorful patches of fabric. They've even got nightcaps in the same design. I yawn and rest my face on my hands. These middle districts are so _boring_. I barely look at the District Nine tributes as their chariot glides into view. Both of them are dressed in jumpsuits made out of some grainy, yellow fabric. _Bor-ing_! District Ten finally breaks the mold. The male tribute is dressed as a wolf while the female tribute is dressed as a sheep. I remember the boy from the reapings; he was wearing a wolf cloak just like the one he has on now. Wolf boy isn't wearing much under the cloak, but I don't think anyone minds.

The District Eleven chariot pulls out right in front of us, and I realize that we're next to go. I do one final hair and makeup check as the tributes appear onscreen. They're dressed as farmers, with overalls, pitchforks, and straw hats. I'm actually very happy that many of the tributes have been forced into unflattering costumes this year. That'll just make my costume look better. Finally, the large door opens for the last time, and Trenton and I jerk forward. As soon as we're outside, I nearly go deaf from the noise. There's thousands of fans in the stands, cheering as all twenty-four of us glide down the center aisle towards President Trekk.

I catch a glimpse of myself on the big screen above President Trekk and realize that I look _stunning_. My stylist put me in a tight, short, strapless, dress with an ombre design. It's black on the bottom, and as it goes upward, the black changes into red, and then orange, and then yellow. It's meant to represent coal burning. I think it's a slightly disappointing design, but luckily, I can look good in _anything_. I flash a smile and wave to the crowd, and they respond with even louder applause. We're not even at the interviews yet and the Capitol already _loves_ me. This couldn't be running any more smoothly.

One by one, each of the twelve chariots pulls up and stops on the platform in front of President Trekk's podium. Once all of the chariots have taken their places, President Trekk speaks. "Welcome, tributes and spectators, to the kick-off of the 127th Hunger Games!" The audience bursts into applause. "I'm sure each and every one of you is excited to get the Games started, but before we can send these twenty-four brave young men and women into the arena, they'll spend a few days in the Capitol. During the next three days, the tributes will train for the Games in the training center. Then, on the third day, they will be individually assessed and their training scores will be announced. On the fourth day, they will be interviewed by the great Tristan Honeybee, and on the morning of the fifth day, they'll finally be sent into the arena."

President Trekk continues to ramble on about how exciting it is that the Games are starting. He talks about the Head Gamemaker, Adameus Fletcher, who has promised to make the 127th Hunger Games better than ever before. I zone out after about five minutes. I don't understand why important people like the president are so _boring_. I swear, all President Trekk does is stand on stages and give speeches. Honestly, I could do a _much_ better job than him. I'm _a lot_ more interesting than him, and I'm funny too. Plus, I'm gorgeous, so no one would mind staring at my pretty face for hours.

Eventually, the President finishes his speech, and the chariots circle back towards the loading room. As soon as we arrive, I hop out of the chariot and strut towards the exit, leaving Trenton behind. The president's speech almost put me to sleep, so I'm very tired. I enter the elevator and jab the _12_ button before anyone else can even get close to the elevator. I don't want to stop at ten other floors on the way up. Thankfully, no one reaches the elevator in time, so I have a nice, quiet ride up to the twelfth floor. I walk into my room and lie down in my bed,but before falling asleep, I call on an avox to tuck me in and give me a massage. I decide that if I manage to win the Games and make it back to District Twelve, I'm bringing an avox with me.

 **This chapter wasn't originally going to be this long, but I liked the direction it was going in, so I just kept writing. If your tribute didn't get a POV (and most of them didn't) they'll get one during training. Training will be three days (chapters) long, and then the private training sessions will come next (I have no idea how many chapters they'll take).**

 **This is your last chance to vote in the poll because I'm going to take it down in a few days. Thanks to everyone's who's already voted! I'll do another poll either before or after the interviews (once we've gotten to know the tributes a little better).**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	11. Training: Day One

**Training: Day One**

 **Circe Fog (D9 F 16)**

 _"O great mystic ball,_

 _I answer your call,_

 _Grant me your knowledge,_

 _Let me see all."_

I gaze into my crystal ball as the mists swirl around. Before heading down to training, I've decided to seek some guidance from my crystal ball. After all, I have many questions that need to be answered. What stations should I focus on? Should I ally with anyone? Should I find an apprentice? How should I interact with the other tributes? For the next few minutes, I stare into the ball, attempting to find the answers to my questions.

Twenty minutes later, I stand next to Logan in the elevator as we travel down to training. Thankfully, the spirits were very specific about what I need to do today: I need to find my apprentice. According to the crystal ball, my apprentice must be a young girl, which leaves me limited options. If I remember right, there's only one twelve-year-old girl, and there's no thirteen or fourteen-year-old girls. That means if the twelve-year-old isn't worthy of apprenticeship, I may have to expand my search to the three fifteen-year-old girls. I can only hope that one of them is worthy. If not, my talent for communicating with the spirit world may die with me.

The elevator finally stops, and the door opens. Logan and I walk through a pair of double doors and step into the gigantic training center. Most of the tributes have already arrived, and they glare at Logan and I when we enter the room. I don't take it to heart, though, because I know they're just confused about the shroud I wear over my head and my close connection with the spirits. I got looks like this all the time in District Nine. Over the next few minutes, the remaining tributes walk in, until eventually, all twenty-four of us are present. Then, the head trainer, a guy named Donalbain, begins to speak.

Donalbain first names and explains all of the stations that we can use. The list includes multiple weapons stations, a climbing wall, an agility test, survival skills stations, and a bunch more. Since my crystal ball told me to focus on survival skills stations, I already know where I'll be spending most of my time. Donalbain also tells us to refrain from fighting with or injuring any other tributes. That shouldn't be a problem. The spirits have told me to stay away from the path of violence, so that's what I will do. At last, Donalbain finishes his speech, and the twenty-four of us separate to the various stations.

Before finding an apprentice, I decide to spend some time at the berry identification station. Since I've worked with potions my whole life, I know a lot about many different kinds of berries. The trainer who's manning the station gives me a handful of berries and asks me to sort them into two piles: edible and poisonous. It takes me less than five minutes, and I get them all right. Impressed, the trainer asks me to explain what each berry does. So, I chose a few to start with and begin telling the trainer about all of the potions that can be made with each berry. A confused look crosses the trainer's face when I begin naming some of the potions, and he tells me he's never even heard of any of them. That's weird. I thought he was supposed to be a berry expert.

After about half an hour at the berry station, I decide to begin my search for an apprentice. I say goodbye to the trainer and then begin scanning the training center for the twelve-year-old girl from District Eleven. Eventually, I spot her at the knot tying station. I walk over and tap her on the shoulder. "Excuse me, miss, but what is your name?" I ask.

The girl looks up from her rope, gives me a puzzling stare, and then responds, "Jasmine."

"Well, Jasmine," I say, "through my communications with the spirits, I have learned that I need an apprentice to pass on my talent for fortune telling. According to my crystal ball, you're a worthy candidate. Will you join me to learn the secrets of the spirit world?"

Jasmine stares at me for a while before responding. Her fingers are still running through the pieces of rope even though she doesn't seem to be paying attention to them. "No," she eventually says, sounding slightly annoyed. "I work alone. I don't want anything to do with your spirit world." Disappointed, I leave Jasmine and begin searching for the other young girls. It seems that Jasmine is not worthy of being my apprentice, which means one of the other three girls must be.

Much to my displeasure, all three of the fifteen-year-olds turn me down as well. Valerie from District Three tells me she'd rather stick a flaming knife through her skull than be my apprentice. Lexi from District Six tells me there's no such thing as spirits and refuses to listen to anything I have to say. Muna from District Ten informs me that she's a Christian, which means she believes in God and not a bunch of silly spirits. Once I've visited all three girls, I disappear to one of the dark corners of the training center and bury my face in my hands. I can't let the spirits down. I need to find an apprentice soon. If I die, my apprentice can carry on the secrets of fortune telling. If I can't find an apprentice, than my secrets will die with me.

 **Lindroz Delt (D8 M 16)**

Not surprisingly, I have concocted a ingenious plan that will guarantee me the Victor's crown. The Hunger Games is just like a chess game, and I'm an excellent chess player. As a master of manipulation, these Games will be a piece of cake for me. If everything goes as planned, in less than a month, I'll be the smartest victor to ever win the Games.

The first and most crucial step of my plan is to recruit Jerry Porch from District Five. Jerry is the son of a victor, and from what I've seen so far, Jerry is very arrogant, idiotic, rude, cocky, and pretty much the least likeable (personality-wise) tribute this year. Despite all of that, he is the tribute I want to ally with most. Since Jerry's father is a victor, he's got tons of connections in the Capitol. This means many of the sponsors will support Jerry as a favor to his dad, regardless of how much of a snob Jerry is. That's why I need Jerry on my side. I'll benefit from all of the sponsor gifts sent to him.

With my brains and Jerry's good looks, we'll pick up more and more sponsors as the Games go on. We'll have gifts raining down from the sky every minute. And in the end, I'll have no problem stabbing Jerry in the back. Since he's stupid, there's no way he'll see it coming. After Jerry dies, if there will probably be a Career or two still left, but that won't be a problem either. Like Jerry, the Careers are extremely stupid as well, so it'll be easy to lead them right to their deaths.

The only thing I have to worry about is putting up with Jerry for the next two weeks. I haven't even asked him to be my ally yet and he's already annoying me. He's been at the throwing knives station ever since training started, and I can hear him talking about himself from over here at the rope tying station. I just need to keep reminding myself that it'll all be worth it in the end. If I can just put up with Jerry for two weeks, I'll get the victor's crown for sure.

I watch as Jerry suddenly puts his knives down and begins walking over to the water fountain. Now's my chance. I need to approach him and ask him to be my ally. I place my piece of rope back on the table and hurry over to the water fountain. Jerry's just finishing his drink when I arrive. "Hey," I say when Jerry realizes that I'm standing next to him. "You're Jerry, right; Topher Porch's son?"

"A-huh," Jerry says, looking slightly pleased that I knew who he was.

"Well my name's Lindroz," I say. "I'm from District Eight, and I have to say, I'm a huge fan of your dad. I was just watching you throw knives over there, and I couldn't help but notice that you may even be more talented than him."

Jerry smiles. "Yeah, I'm a pretty great athlete," he says.

"I've noticed," I say. "And because of that I actually want to make you an offer. You see, Jerry, you're a very good-looking man, you've got tons of strength, and you're very talented with weapons. On the other hand, you've got me. I'm pretty smart, and I have excellent survival skills. I was thinking, if we joined forces and put our talents together, we'd be unstoppable."

Jerry thinks it over for a minute and then speaks. "Well, I was planning on allying with the Careers, but they rejected me."

I fake a laugh. "How could they reject you? You're probably the best tribute out here! Listen, if we ally together, I'll help you get revenge on the Careers. They'll forever regret turning you down."

"Okay," Jerry says after a few seconds. "I see what you mean. I don't need to ally with the Careers. I've got enough strength and talent by myself." I can almost see the gears turning in Jerry's head. I think he's finally come to the conclusion that I'd be a great ally. I do have great survival skills, and as far as he knows, I'd be easy to defeat in the end.

"So is it a deal, then?" I ask, extending my hand. "Are we officially allies?"

"Yeah, I think we are," Jerry says, nodding his head slowly. He reaches his hand out to shake mine.

I can't help but grin. Phase one is complete.

 **Tyroarius Stryker (D2 M 18)**

Never in a million years did I think the Career alliance would have so many problems this early. It's day one of training, and there's only four of us. As a group, we determined that Lumiere from District One shouldn't be allowed to join us because he's too weak, and since Micah from Four wants nothing to do with us, that leaves just me, Jade, Mileena, and Bebe. What's even worse is that I'm the only guy in the alliance. I'm not trying to be sexist or anything, but a guy can only handle so much girl talk. It's only been a few hours, and I'm already tired of hearing about hair and boyfriends and clothes and nails and jewelry and everything else the three of them have rambled on and on about. We need to get another guy in this alliance, or my head may explode before we even enter the arena.

As a group, we've noticed two outer-district tributes that may have what it takes to be a Career: Cole, the boy from District Six, and Sable, the boy from District Ten. We saw Cole throwing around medicine balls half an hour ago, and his strength was very impressive. Sable seems to be just as strong as Cole. We watched him run the agility course a few minutes ago, and he had a very impressive time, especially when you consider his size. If we manage to get these two guys on our side, I'll definitely be satisfied with the Career alliance. There's strength in numbers, so we really need to pick up a fifth or sixth person if we want our alliance to dominate.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sable walk over to the rack of medicine balls, which is where Cole is. "Guys, we should go talk to them now," I say to the girls, who have been practicing their knife throwing skills for the past twenty minutes. "It might be easier to convince them to join our alliance if they know they won't be the only non-Career in the group."

"Sounds good," Bebe says, placing her knife back on the rack as Jade gets rid of hers as well. Mileena rolls her eyes (she's obviously annoyed that I interrupted her throwing), and reluctantly drops her knives, not even bothering to put them back on the rack. Then, the four of us head for the medicine balls.

"Hey, you two!" Mileena shouts as we approach Cole and Sable. "Wanna join the Careers?"

"Mileena!" I hiss through clenched teeth. She's going to mess up everything! "What are you doing?"

"Asking them to join our alliance," she says, looking at me like I'm stupid. "Just what you said to do."

"Yeah, but not like that," I say, rubbing my temples. "You can't _shout_ at them." I groan. "Why didn't you just let me do it?"

I hurry over to Cole and Sable before Mileena can even try to give me a snappy retort. "Sorry about her," I say to them. "She's a bit... _enthusiastic_. So anyways, we've been watching the two of you train, and we've noticed that you're both very strong and talented. We wanted to know if you guys wanted to join the Career alliance. You'd make great additions, and we could offer you plenty of protection. The six of us would be unstoppable."

Cole speaks up first. "Sorry, but I'm not looking to join your Career alliance," Cole says coldly. "I'd rather go into the arena by myself than with you guys."

"Me too," Sable says.

My heart drops. There goes our chances of having a strong six. I really want to unleash my fury on the two idiots, but I know better than that. "Well, if you guys change your minds, you know where to find us. If not, you'd better watch your backs in the arena."

I turn around and walk back to the girls. "I'm assuming they turned you down," Mileena says with a smug look on her face.

"Shut up, Mileena," I say. "Maybe if you didn't shout at them, they'd be a little bit more friendly towards us."

"You think this is my fault?" Mileena fires back. "I'm not the one who's job it was to convince them to join us!"

"Then why'd you shout at them to join us?" I yell back. "Everything doesn't have to be done your way, _Mileena_!"

"Okay, okay, calm down guys," Jade says. "It's not _anyone's_ fault that Cole and Sable didn't want to ally with us. They probably didn't want to be Careers to begin with. Now let's stop fighting and go train."

"Jade's right," Bebe says. "Standing here and arguing isn't going to get us anywhere. If there's only going to be four of us, we have to work together."

"Fine," Mileena says. "Let's go work on spears."

She stomps away, leaving the three of us to follow after her.

 **Cole Fyre (D6 M 17)**

The Careers walk away to go throw spears, and I turn to Sable. "Well, that was interesting," I say.

"Yeah," Sable replies. "I can't believe they thought we'd want to ally with them."

"Well, they're desperate," I say. "And, not to sound cocky, but we are two of the strongest non-Careers out here. Speaking of which, how'd you get so strong?"

"I've worked on my family's farm my whole life," Sable says. "I used to do a lot of the heavy lifting. I also protected the sheep, so I've had to fight off plenty of poachers and wolves."

"Ah, so that's where the whole 'wolf boy' thing came from," Cole says.

"Yeah," I say. "But what about you? What did you do back in District Six?"

"I actually didn't live in the district," I say. "I've lived on an old, coal-powered train for the past few years. My family owns the train, and we earn money by making deliveries all across Panem."

"So you've visited the other districts?"

"Only the outer walls," I say. "We're not allowed to step foot in any of them."

"Oh," Sable says. He pauses for a bit, and then speaks again. "So, are we allies now?" he asks, kind of awkwardly. "You said it yourself- we're two of the strongest non-Careers out here."

"Yeah, I think we are," I say. "We could go really far together. So... do you want to throw some medicine balls around?"

"Sure," Sable says. "But I haven't done this yet, so you'll have to help me out."

For the next half hour, we take turns throwing around some of the heaviest medicine balls we can find. Sable turns out to be just as strong as I am, which is great because we have fun challenging each other to see who can throw the furthest. When our arms become too sore to throw anymore, we walk over to the fountain to take a drink. I'm just about to take a swig when a hand reaches out from behind the wall. "Come here," a girl's voice whispers, waving her hand. I look at Sable, shrug, and then step behind the wall.

I'm shocked when Sable and I come face-to-face with the blond girl from District One. "Hi guys," she says. "My name's Jade, and I have a proposition for you guys. I think we'll both benefit greatly from it, but first I need to know something. Can I trust you guys?"

"That depends," I say. "Can we trust you?"

Jade smiles. "Of course," she says. "So anyways, I have a bit of a problem, because I hate the Careers. Even before I volunteered I knew I didn't want to be one of them. However, my family and my trainers convinced me to at least start out with the Careers so that I wouldn't have a huge target on my back. So, I've been training with them and pretending to be their friend, but I'm not. When we go into the arena, I'm going to start out as their ally. But on day three, I'm done with them. Originally, I was just going to grab some food and supplies and run away, but I've been doing some thinking over the past day, and I have a plan that may be able to offset the whole course of the Games."

"So, that's where you need us?" Sable says.

Jade nods and smiles again. "On day three, the three of us are going to kill all of the Careers."

"What?" I say, hardly able to believe my ears. "That's impossible! No one's ever gotten rid of the Careers that early!"

" _Shhh,_ " Jade whispers. "Keep your voice down."

"Sorry," I whisper, back, "but how would the three of us take down the entire Career alliance."

"Well, there's three of them and three of us," Jade says. "And we have the element of surprise on our side. We could take them down easily."

"But Cole and I have never trained," Sable says. "We don't even know how to use weapons."

"Well, you've got two days to learn," Jade says, "so I suggest you start trying some out once we're done talking. But even if you weren't able to master a weapon, you guys are strong enough. If we catch the Careers by surprise, your strength could be enough to take them down."

I bite my lip. "I'm sorry, but I can't do it. I like the idea, but I can't risk my life like that. I've got too much to lose. I think we'll be better off on our own." I turn to Sable. "C'mon, let's get back to training."

"Wait!" Jade shouts. She covers her mouth and then starts speaking in a whisper again. "What if I got one more tribute on our side? Then we'd outnumber the Careers by one."

"But there's no one else who's strong enough to take out a fully-trained Career," I say.

Jade's face lights up. "Actually, I know just the guy. He's trained his whole life for this, and I know for a fact that he hates the Careers."

"What?" I ask, now thoroughly confused.

"The only tributes who train are from Districts One, Two, and... _Four_ ," Sable says. We reach the conclusion at the same time.

Jade grins. "That's right. We need to get Micah on our side."

 **Lexi Honda (D5 F 15)**

Donalbain, the head trainer, blows his whistle, and we all fall silent. "It's lunchtime!" he announces, pointing to the doors that must lead to the lunchroom. "You have half an hour to eat, starting now." I put down my piece of rope and follow the herd of tributes into the lunch room. Unfortunately, I'm the last one in, so I'm forced to stand at the end of the line and watch as the other tributes grab their food and take a seat. I realize that this'll give me the perfect opportunity to start searching for an ally. Since there's power in numbers, I really hope I can find an ally or two to help me out in the Games. The trouble us, I haven't found anyone who's the same age and ability as me.

I scan the lunchroom, noting who's already taken their seat. First, there's the four Careers, who are already laughing obnoxiously at some joke one of them told. The boys from Districts Six and Ten are also sitting at a table together, and so are the boys from Five and Eight. Besides that, everyone's either sitting alone or with their district partner. I look around, trying to find any girls that are about fifteen. It takes me a few seconds, but I finally spot a girl that think may be a good match. She's got a huge scar that runs across her forehead, so I'm assuming that she's tough, like me. She's from District Ten, and if I remember right, I think her name is Muna. She could potentially make a great ally.

Once I've gotten my food, I walk over to Muna's table. "Hey, can I sit here?" I ask her.

Muna looks up but she doesn't smile. "Yeah, sure," she says. I set my tray down and begin digging into my food. Muna's already finished her meal, so she kind of just sits there awkwardly as I eat. In a few minutes, she finally breaks the silence. "How'd you get your ears pierced?" she asks. "I've seen earrings on Capitol citizens but not on people from the districts."

I smile. "I pierced them myself."

"Really?" she says, looking somewhat interested. "Why?"

"One of my friends dared me to do it," I say. "So, I cleaned off a sharp pin and ran it through each of my earlobes."

"Didn't it hurt?" Muna asks.

"A bit," I say. "But that's the point of truth or dare- to step out of your comfort zone. I've also been dared to pierce my belly button." I hold up my shirt to show her, and her eyes widen in amazement. "I also did my cartilage and tongue a couple of months ago, but those holes have closed up."

Muna falls silent again, so I begin eating my meal again. Once I'm done, I decide to ask her something. "So how did you get that scar on your forehead?"

"It's kind of a long story," Muna says.

"Well, we've got six minutes of lunch left," I say, glancing at the clock.

Muna hesitates. "Okay," she finally says, and I swear, just for a moment, there was a hint of a smile on her face. "Well, back in school, there was this kid named Sean in my grade. Sean would always pick on the younger kids, and I was pretty much the only person who ever stood up to him. Over the years, a bitter rivalry grew between us, and we became enemies. Then, about a year and a half ago, our rivalry went too far. I witnessed Sean stealing money at a school concert, so I began to chase him, demanding that he return the money. I followed him backstage and then up a blocked staircase. When I was about halfway up the staircase, it collapsed on top of me. I injured the whole left side of my body, and since my family couldn't afford to send me to the doctor, many of the injuries never really healed- like my scar." She points to her forehead.

"Wow," I say. "You're definitely tough." I pause for a moment, and then decide to ask the question that's been hanging on my tongue for the past fifteen minutes. "So, is there any chance you're looking for an ally?" I ask. "Cause I think we'd make a great team. We've got a lot in common: we're both fifteen, we aren't afraid to stand up for what we believe in, and we're both fighters."

Muna breaks into the first grin I've ever seen on her face. "I was thinking you'd ask that," she says. "And yes, I'd love to ally with you. You seem like a pretty interesting girl, and I think we'll make a great team."

 **Logan Clark (D9 M 18)**

Once lunch ends, the head trainer sends us back into the training room. I immediately walk back over to the weapons stations. They're the only stations that matter, so that's where I've been spending all of my time. Besides, the survival stations are extremely boring. I stopped at the knot tying station and got tired of it after five minutes. So, I'm just going to focus on weapons- mostly the sickle.

Since I'm from District Nine, I've used sickles back in the grain fields- not because I needed the money but because I was bored. I'm so excited to be able to use the sickle as a weapon because I've only ever been able to use it on grain. Even now, in training, I can only mutilate dummies, not people. I am definitely looking forward to the bloodbath, when I can finally show Panem how powerful I really am.

I grab a sickle and drag another dummy out of the corner. I stand the dummy up and then begin to obliterate it. I start by hacking off the limbs: right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg. Next, I decapitate it and jab my sickle into the severed head about a dozen times. Finally, I get to work on the torso. I slash at the chest and stomach until all that remains is a pile of shredded material. I look up to see the girl from District Twelve staring at me with a look of disgust. "That's sick," she says. "What's wrong with you?"

I laugh and then decide to scare the stupid girl. "When I was born, the umbilical cord was wrapped twice around my neck." I laugh again. "The doctors say it left me with permanent brain damage, but I don't believe them." I laugh again. "They just don't understand my sense of humor." I break into an even bigger fit of laughter, and the girl walks away with a shocked expressed on her face. Good for her; she can go judge someone else now.

I drag another dummy out and slowly destroy this one too. Then I move on to a third, and then a fourth, and then a fifth. I notice that I'm getting a lot of stares from the other tributes, but I don't care. In a few days, instead of mutilating dummies, I'll be mutilating them. They won't be able to give me any funny looks when they're lying on the ground with their body five feet away from their head. They'll be dead, and I'll be standing over their dead body with a huge smile on my face.

I tried to join the Careers earlier but they turned me down. They said I'm not strong enough. I can't wait to prove them wrong and show them just how strong I am. Even though I don't look like much, I'm very talented with sickles. Plus, I'm a great runner. I used to run through the grain fields of District Nine for fun. I loved the rush of adrenaline and the rush of the wind brushing past my face. I could run for hours and hours, but I don't think I'll need to. Unless I'm greatly outnumbered, I won't need to run from anyone. I'll be able to kill everyone that crosses my path.

So now that the Careers don't want to ally with me, it looks like I'm going to be entering the arena by myself. After thinking about it for a bit, I've realized that having no allies may be the best option for me. Since I'm the fastest tribute out here, I won't have to worry about slowing down to wait for an ally who can't run. I can go at my own pace, and I can play by my own rules. The only person I'll have to look out for is myself, so I won't have to worry about collecting food for a bunch of helpless tributes. Also, I won't have to share any of my sponsor gifts with anyone else. If things go as planned, I should receive plenty of sponsor gifts, so I definitely want to keep those all to myself.

I suddenly realize that I've gotten lost in my thoughts, so I shake it off and return to my training. I'm just about to destroy my eighth dummy when one of the trainers jogs over to me. "Hey, Logan," he begins. "You do know we have dummies that actually move and fight back, right? You've been going to work on the motionless ones for a while now, and I figured you might want a little bit more of a challenge."

I shrug. "Yeah, I'll give them a try," I decide. After all, mutilating moving dummies will feel much more like mutilating actual humans. If I pretend that they're tributes, the moving dummies should be a lot of fun to destroy.

 **Spud Wyllows (D11 M 13)**

I say goodbye to the trainer and leave the fire starting station. I stop for a drink at the water fountain and then begin searching for another station to go to. I've spent all of my time at survival skills stations since that's what my mentor told me to focus on. I've already worked on berry identification, shelter building, camouflage, and fire starting. Maybe I should do some physical activity and try to get in better shape for the Games. I spot a young boy over at the weight station and decide to go join him.

I walk over to the boy as he places a ten-pound weight back on the rack. "Hello," I say to him with a smile. "You're from District Three, right?"

"Yeah," he says, returning the smile. "The name's Jazper."

"Well, I'm Spud from District Eleven," I say. "Is it okay if I join you?"

"Sure," he says. I walk over to the rack and try to lift up a thirty pound weight. The weight doesn't move. So, I decide to start small with a five pound weight. The trainer shows me how to lift it correctly, so I do until I get tired (in about a minute). As I rest, I watch Jazper throw around a small medicine ball. I think he's just as strong as I am.

Suddenly, I get a great idea. Maybe Jazper and I could be allies. We seem to have a lot in common. We're both short and skinny with about the same strength. We're both young, and neither of us have allies yet. We'd probably work well together. When he gets done lifting, I think I'll ask him if he wants to be in an alliance together. After all, allies have plenty of benefits. I'd love to have someone watching my back in the arena.

Jazper's weight clangs back into the rack. He's just about to walk over to the water fountain to get a drink when I stop him. "Hey, Jazper, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to be allies?"

"Uhhh- I don't know," Jazper says, apparently caught off guard.

"I just think we'd work well together," I say. "We have a lot in common. Besides, there's strength in numbers, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Jazper says, turning back towards me. "Sure, we can be allies."

"Great," I say. "So do you want to work on some survival stations now?"

"Sure," Jazper says. "Which one?"

I scan the training center to look for a station that I haven't been at yet. "How about knot tying?" I say. "I haven't gone to that one yet."

"Okay," Jazper says. "I'm gonna go grab a drink. I'll meet you over there in a minute."

Once Jazper and I have situated ourselves at the knot tying station, the trainer begins teaching us about some knots that could come in handy during the Games. However, I realize that there's a problem as soon as I start working with the rope. My fingers aren't quite strong enough to tie all of the knots. The trainer hands me a thinner piece of rope, which works a little better. The trouble is, I'm simply not good at tying knots. Jazper seems to be struggling too, so in a few minutes, we decide to call it quits and head to a new station.

"I guess knot tying's not really my thing," I tell Jazper as we walk. "I know a lot about about apples, but that's about it."

"Apples?" Jazper says. "Did you work on an apple orchard in District Eleven or something?"

"Yup," I say. "I've spent the last few years of my life around apples, so I know _all_ about them. What about you? What did you do back in District Three?"

Jazper opens his mouth and then closes it quickly. He bites his lip. "Uhhh, nothing _super_ important."

I can tell that Jazper's hiding something. "Come on, you can tell me," I say. "We're allies, remember?"

Jazper sighs. "Okay," he says. "To be completely honest, I love poetry. My mom, who's a poet, taught me everything she knows. At school, I've always been picked on because of how small I am, but poetry's always been a good escape for me."

"Wow," I say, truly impressed. "You'll have to read me your poetry sometime."

"Yeah, maybe," Jazper says with a distant expression on his face, as if he's in a trance. He snaps out of it a few seconds later. "We should probably get back to training now."

"Oh yeah," I say. "Let's find a new station."

 **Kiyata Merrow (D8 F 17)**

The first day of training is drawing to a close, and I've noticed that many tributes have already found allies. About half of the tributes are moving around in pairs or small groups while the other half move around seperately. I fall under the second category. I haven't formed an alliance with anyone, nor do I plan to. All allies do is lead you down a path to your own doom. They can slow you down, make you look weak, or backstab you. Often, they do all three. That's why I've decided to go into the Games alone. I won't have to worry about trusting anyone or carrying anyone through the Games. The only person I'll have to worry about is myself.

Besides, I've come up with a perfect game plan for winning the Games. During training, I'm going to focus solely on survival skills stations. I'll become really good at everything, which will help me get an okay training score. Then, when I go into the arena, I just have to find a place to hide and stay there for the entire Games. My survival skills training should be enough to keep alive. As long as I can find the proper food, water, and shelter, everything should go smoothly.

Plus, I'll probably receive some sponsor gifts throughout the Games. During my private session, if I show the Gamemakers the wide variety of survival skills I've mastered, I should get a good enough score to attract some sponsors. Then, during the interviews, I just have to be myself. The sponsors may feel some sympathy for me if they hear about my rough life back in District Eight, so I just have to drop a few subtle hints about that.

I'm currently at the berry identification station. Already, I've learned a ton about many different types of berries that may be in the arena. Chances are, I'll be able to find and live off at least one of these plants during the Games. Along with the edible berries, I've also learned about many inedible berries. Now, I won't accidentally poison myself during the Games. If I remember my training, I'll know exactly which berries to eat and which berries to leave for the other tributes.

"Hey, tributes!" The head trainer, Donaldbain, calls across the training center. "Day one of training has officially ended! You may return back to your respective floors now! We'll see you back here tomorrow morning!"

I follow the crowd of tributes out of the training center and into the hallway. A few of them stay to chat, but I find Lindroz, my district partner, and head straight for the elevator. Lindroz isn't exactly the friendliest guy, but I've been doing my best to be nice to him. After all, we are from the same district. "So, how'd training go?" I ask him. "I saw you walking around with the guy from Five. Are you guys allies?"

Lindroz grins smugly. "Yeah, you could say that," he says. "Why? Are you thinking of joining us? Because the answer's no."

I almost laugh- as if I'd want to ally with Lindroz. I can barely handle his ego now, and I've only know him for two days. "No, of course not," I say. "I'm not allying with anyone. Allies are more trouble than they're worth."

Lindroz's smug smile returns. "Suit yourself," he says. "After all, you find out how wrong you are when we enter the arena."

I roll my eyes. "Whatever you say," I tell him sarcastically. "But you're the one who will discover that you're wrong."

"I guess we'll find out in the arena," Lindroz says. "But for now, I think I'm going to stick with my strategy."

The elevator suddenly stops, and we find ourselves face-to-face with our escort, Ridiculous. She covers her nose as soon as she gets a whiff of us. "The two of you _rrrrr_ eek!" she exclaims, rolling her _r's_ as usual. "Go take showe _rrrrr_ s and be _rrrrr_ eady to eat in half an hou _rrrrr_ ," she says.

"Okay Ridic- I mean Ridonica," I say. After glaring at Lindroz one last time, I walk away, headed for my room.

 **Well, this chapter ending up being a lot longer than I thought it'd be, but I had some ideas and I'm happy with the way they're playing out. The next two chapters should be shorter (and therefore, updated quicker) because half of the tributes have already gotten a POV (either in this chapter or the last one). The remaining twelve tributes will get their POVs during days two and three of training.**

 **After that, each tribute will get a short private training session, and following that, there'll be a chapter or two of interviews. And then, the Games can finally begin (yay!). If you have any suggestions on who you think should be allies, feel free to let me know in the reviews, since I'm still trying to match people up. And lastly, thanks to everyone who voted in the poll! I finally took it down, but I'll put a new one up around the time of the interviews.**

 **Fun fact: this is my first chapter to ever reach seven thousand words #oops**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	12. Training: Day Two

**Training: Day Two**

 **Jasmine Kingston (D11 F 12)**

"Jasmine! Get up! You have to go to training!" I groan as my escort's voice echoes around my room. I'm tired and sore from yesterday, and I'm really not in the mood for more training. "Come on, Jasmine! Training starts in fifteen minutes!"

"Fine, I'm coming!" I shout towards the doorway. I sit up and take my time getting dressed. I don't want to be early to training, because I don't want any of the tributes to try to talk to me. I'd rather just be left alone. So far, the only tribute who's tried to have a conversation with me was the girl from District Nine, the mystical spirit girl. She wanted me to be her 'apprentice,' but I have no interest in being her magic servant.

Once I've gotten dressed, I walk into the dining room to grab some food. Thankfully, I've timed it right; training starts in three minutes, so I don't have to sit down and eat with everyone. I grab a bagel off of the table and walk over to the elevator. "Good luck!" my mentor, Piper, shouts as I step into the elevator. I give her a small smile before the elevator closes and transports me down to the basement.

Fifteen seconds after I arrive in the training room, Donaldbain, the head trainer, begins his speech. "Alright guys," he begins. "Same rules as yesterday- no fighting with the other tributes, don't leave until training is over, no hogging the stations; you know the drill. So, have a great second day of training!"

The tributes disperse, and I make my way over to the fire starting station. I've already visited about half of the survival skills stations, so my goal is to visit the other half today. Then, tomorrow, I'll revisit any stations I need extra help on. Or, I may decide to visit some of the athletic stations, like the agility course or the mountain climbing wall. I plan to stay away from the weapons stations. I don't want to kill anyone in the Games, so there's no need for me to learn any weapons.

I arrive at the station, and the trainer gives me a short speech about the basics of fire-starting. I try to pay attention, but after about a minute, I begin to zone out. I start to play around with the sticks, which annoys the trainer. "Jasmine, focus!" she snaps. I drop the sticks and look up at her. She reminds me of my teachers back home. It seems like no matter where I go, instructors hate me because I have trouble paying attention. Why can't anyone understand that I'm trying as hard as I can to focus? For some reason, I just... can't.

After a few more minutes of trying to instruct me, the trainer gets frustrated and just hands me a box of matches. "Here you go," she says. "Have at it. When you get comfortable with the matches, I'll give you some flint to work with."

I find an empty spot in the station's sand pit and begin laying my fire. I forget most of what the trainer said, but I remember something about putting bigger logs on the bottom and around the sides, so that's what I do. Then, I fill in the cracks between the wood with smaller branches, and I put a pile of hay on the top. Once everything's in place, I pull out the matches. I strike one along the side of the box, but nothing happens. I think I was striking too slowly. I try again with a second match, but this one refuses to light as well. Finally, when I strike the third match, the tip of the match catches fire. However, before I can use it to light the fire, I accidentally drop it in the sand.

Frustrated, I pick up a fourth match. Somehow, I manage to get this one to light too. I carefully guide the match towards my pile, making sure I don't drop it again. I hold the match above the hay and reach down to light it. I'm inches away when someone taps me on the back. I flinch, and the match goes flying out of my hand. I whip around and groan when I realize that mystical girl tapped me on the back. For some reason, her eyes are wide and she has a worried expression on her face. "The match!" she gasps. "Where did it go? It just went flying out of your hand! It could set the training center on fire!" She reaches into her pocket and pulls out something small and circular. "I must consult the spirits!"

I roll my eyes. "Calm down," I say. "It's over there," I point to a spot about twenty feet behind her. "It must've blown out when it flew through the air, because it's not burning the training center down."

The girl sighs. "Thank the spirits," she says. "So anyways, my search for an apprentice has unfortunately been unsuccessful. I wanted to know if there is any chance of you reconsidering my previous offer. I'd be delighted to have you as my apprentice. It is not often that the spirits give you a second chance to follow your destiny, so I suggest you allow yourself to follow them."

I narrow my eyes at mystical girl. "I've already told you," I say. "I work alone. I don't believe in spirits, I don't want to learn about spirits, and I don't want to follow spirits- or you. I already have enough problems to deal with and I don't need another. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to return to my fire now." I pull out the fifth match, strike it against the box, and finally use it to light my fire.

Mystical girl's face turns sad. "Five is a number of the devil," she says as my fire grows higher. "It seems he may have some influence on you." She turns around and walks away, probably to go bother somebody else. Even though I don't believe a word that the girl says, I have to admit, her mystical aura is kind of creepy.

 **Micah Islen (D4 M 17)**

 _Thud. Thud. Thud._

Three more of my axes fly into the bullseye. After retrieving them, I throw again and get the same result. For some reason, I've always been good with axes. Traditionally, District Four males prefer to use spears or tridents, so many of the trainers here have seemed surprised to see me throwing around axes. Back at home, I did get a lot of spear and trident training, but I've always been just a little better with axes.

My training partner, Slate, never let me forget how unusual my weapon of choice was. Whenever he beat me at spear throwing (which was most of the time) he'd sigh and say, "Maybe if you weren't from District Seven, you'd be able to throw spears a little better." I smile at the memory, but it fades quickly. I take a deep breath and pick up my axes again. I need to focus on training.

As I chuck my axes at the target, I begin thinking about my current situation in the Games. Right now, I don't have any allies. I refuse to ally with the Careers because of how bloodthirsty and cruel they are, and no one else has approached me about becoming allies. The boys from Districts Six and Ten look like two strong, capable guys, but I'll only ally with them if they approach me. That way, I'll know if they truly want me on their side.

Ironically, as these thoughts run through my mind, the girl from District One, Jade, walks towards me. I groan. I've already told the Careers that I don't want to ally with them. Why can't they just accept the fact that I hate them and move on? "Hey, do you have a moment to talk?" she asks.

"No, I don't," I say, my temper rising. "How many times do I have to tell you guys? I don't want to ally with the Careers! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to return to my training." I launch one of the axes and it lands in the bullseye with a satisfying chunk.

"That's not why I wanted to talk to you," Jade says, refusing to leave. "In fact, the other Careers don't even know I'm over here. I told them I had to run to the bathroom."

I sigh and lower my second axe. "Alright, you've got one minute to speak," I say. "After that, if I don't hear anything worth listening to, I'm returning to my training."

"Fair enough," Jade says. "I'll cut right to the chase then. I don't like the Careers either. They've been driving me nuts and I hate being associated with them. However, I know that there's many benefits to being allied with them. They offer great protection, and if I don't ally with them, that'll put a huge target on my back. So, here's where I'm at: for the first three days of the Games, I'm going to ally with the Careers. I'll gather as much information about them as I can- their strength, their weaknesses, etcetera. Then, on day three, my loyalty to them is over.

"Originally, I was just going to gather up some supplies and leave the Careers, but after doing some thinking, I've come up with a much better plan. On day three, the Careers are all going to die."

I raise an eyebrow. "Really?" I say in an expressionless tone. "And how do you think you're going to accomplish that?"

Jade smiles. "Easy," she says. "With the help of Cole, Sable, and you."

"What?" I say, frowning at her. "Aren't those the boys from Six and Ten?"

Jade nods. "Yup. So here's what we're going to do. On day, three, I'll come and find the three of you in the woods or whatever terrain the arena is. I'll load you up with food, supplies, and weapons, and then, the four of us will storm the cornucopia and kill the three Careers."

I have to admit, I love the idea of getting rid of the Careers like that. The trouble is, I don't know if I can trust Jade. I have no idea if she's being sincere or not. For all I know, this could just be an elaborate plan to lead me to the cornucopia and kill me. "How do I know you're not lying to me?" I ask. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"Well, when I come to meet you guys in the forest on day three, you'll know that I'm telling the truth. For me, meeting the three strongest non-Careers alone in the woods is a huge risk. But, I'm willing to take that risk and trust you guys if you're willing to trust me."

I sigh. "I just don't know. I'll try to talk to Sable and Cole today and see what they're thinking."

"Okay," Jade says. "I should probably head back to the Careers. Thanks for taking the time to listen to me."

Jade walks away and I sit down by the weapons rack to think. In a perfect world, her plan sounds great. Getting rid of the Careers on day three is unprecedented. I don't think it's ever happened before, and I'd love to see it unfold. However, this isn't a perfect world and Jade could just be springing a trap for the three strongest non-Careers in the Games. She could lead us to the cornucopia, turn against us, and the four Careers could take us down.

I'm gonna have to talk with Cole and Sable today and see where their thoughts are at. Chances are, they probably have their suspicions about Jade too. Of course, there is still the chance that Cole and Sable and in cahoots with the Careers, and the six of them are just trying to get rid of me. I groan and slam the tip of my axe into the floor. This game is so much more complicated than I could've imagined. How am I going to figure out who to trust in time for the Games?

 **Cleo Amorite (D7 F 17)**

I give one final burst of energy and slam the red button on the top of the climbing wall. The buzzer rings and I begin my descent. For once in my life, I'm glad that I'm from District Seven. I've been climbing trees my whole life; it's a skill that I hope will help me out during the Games. As long as there's trees in the arena, I'll have shelter and a place to hide. If there's no trees, I'll have a much tougher time, but I think I'll still be able to figure something out.

I land on the ground, take off my harness, and hand it back to the trainer. Now, I need to find another station to go to. So far, my strategy has been to go to stations that will make myself look tough. I want the other tributes and sponsors to know that I'm a force to be reckoned with. Even though I may not be trained like the Careers, I think I'm strong enough, smart enough, and determined enough to get some sponsors and hopefully, last a few days in the Games.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any allies yet. Ideally, I'd like to ally with someone around my age who's not strong enough to overpower me but not so weak that I have to carry their weight. They'd also have to be likeable, but not too likeable because if it came down to it, I'd have to be able to kill them in the end. There's not many tributes in that category, so it looks like I'll have to either widen my search or go into the Games alone.

I decide to go to a survival skills station because I know I haven't gone to as much of those as I should. I find a relatively vacant one, the knot tying station, and head over. When I arrive, the trainer (who looks really bored) instructs me on the basics of knot tying. Then, he finds me a piece of rope and lets me experiment on my own. I manage to figure out a few of the basic knots before a familiar face walks right next to me and begins tying knots as well.

I look up to see Lumiere, the boy from District One standing next to me... _again_. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but I think he's following me. Yesterday, he joined me at the berry identification and the weight lifting stations. And then today, he stepped in line for the agility course and the climbing wall right behind me. Maybe he's trying to talk to me about something, but he's too scared. He's only a year or two younger than me, but I can tell there's a certain sadness inside him, quite like my own.

I decide to talk to the kid. He seems very shy, so I don't think he's confident enough to start up a conversation with a stranger. "You're Lumiere, right? From District One?"

He nods. "And you're Cleo?"

I nod. "So just out of curiosity, have you been following me around?" I ask him. "This is the third time today you've come to a station that I'm at."

Lumiere looks up at me and slowly nods. "Sorry," he says. "I wasn't trying to make it that obvious."

"No it's fine," I assure him. "I just want to know... _why_?"

Lumiere takes a deep breath. "Well the truth is, I've been looking for a strong ally. The Careers rejected me because I'm too weak, and I'm sure the boys from Six and Ten would say the same thing. But I've been watching you, and you just seem different from everyone else. You're pretty strong, and although I haven't heard you say much, I can tell that you're a lot nicer than you're making yourself seem. And even though I don't know much about you, there's something about you that reminds me of myself. I've been meaning to ask you if you wanted to be allies all day, but I just haven't been able to pluck up the courage. I just... I don't want to go into the arena alone."

I stand in silence for a few seconds before speaking. "The truth is, I've been looking for an ally too. And right now, it looks like we're each other's best option."

"So is that a yes?" Lumiere asks, looking hopeful.

I nod and even give him a small smile. "Just like you said, I'd also hate to go into the arena alone. Banding together should be beneficial for both of us."

 **Mileena Nero (D2 F 18)**

I am _so_ sick of Tyroarius. I've already considered stabbing a knife through his back the second we enter the Games. He's sexist, bossy, and rude. He's already elected himself the leader of the Careers without anyone's consent. He decides which stations to go to, what we should do at them, and how long we should stay at him. I'm done taking orders from Ty. It's time the Careers get a better leader.

I decide to talk to Jade and Bebe before confronting Ty. As he shows off his skills at the spear throwing station, I take the girls aside. "Guys, we need to stop letting Tyroarius decide everything for us."

Jade shrugs. "Strong teams need a strong leader," she says. "It's not a big deal to me if Ty is in charge."

I gawk at her. "How could you even say that? Don't you realize how awful he is?"

Bebe decides to chime in. "Mileena, I think what Jade is trying to say is that it doesn't really matter who's 'in charge.' When it comes down to it, people won't remember that. They'll remember who made it the furthest in the Games. So, if you can put up with Ty for a few days, all you have to do is outlast him in the Games. Then, the only District Two tribute that the fans will remember is you."

"Yes, but I just can't stand here as he bosses us around," I say, frustrated. "Although Tyroarius may be physically strong, he's a terrible person. He's completely unfit to lead us. We need to do what's right and throw him off of his throne of power before it's too late."

"Mileena," Bebe says, "I totally agree with you. I don't like the idea of Ty leading us either. But, as it is, we already have a weak Career alliance. There's only four of us, and jostling around for positions of power is only going to create cracks in the alliance. A house divided on itself cannot stand. Unfortunately, the best option for us right now is to let Tyroarius do whatever he wants to do. As much as I hate to admit it, we need his strength. If you try to take away his leadership, he won't be happy. He could leave the alliance and join up with the strongest non-Careers. We can't allow that to happen, so we just need to bite our tongues and let Ty lead."

I can't believe this. Jade and Bebe don't want me to be in charge either. What is wrong with them? Can't they recognize a dictatorship when they see it? Normally, I'd put up a bigger fight, but it's three against one. "Fine," I say. "I'll let Ty lead. However, I need you guys to promise me something first. When most of the non-Careers are gone, the three of us need to band together to kill Ty. He can't survive longer than any of us. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Bebe says. "When the time is right, I promise, we'll take him out."

"Definitely," Jade says. "The three of us deserve to win more than Ty does. Besides, getting rid of him will make the playing field pretty even. That should make the Games more interesting for viewers."

The girls walk back over to Ty, leaving me by myself. The Games haven't even started and I'm already frustrated with the Careers. None of them appreciate the hard work I've done to get here, and none of them seem to like me. I'm seriously considering leaving the alliance. If the three of them don't want me, maybe I should give them what they want and leave. Unfortunately, though, as much as I hate to admit it, I need to ally with the Careers if I want to make it far. If I went off on my own, it would be too easy for the three of them to overpower and kill me.

I just need to keep reminding myself that it'll all be worth it in the end. I just have to suck it up and deal with the Careers until the time is right, and then I can get rid of them all. It shouldn't be too hard; I've dealt will terrible people in District Two my whole life. However, I can still do my part to make Ty, Jade, and Bebe miserable. Bebe said it herself- if the four of us start arguing, cracks will form in the alliance. I just have to use the cracks to my advantage so that I can eventually rip the alliance apart. When the time comes, I'll use the chaos to my advantage to kill the three of them. Then, I'll be able to claim the victor's crown for myself.

 **Kairen Parker (D7 M 17)**

Somehow, I've managed to find myself an ally. Going into training, in fear of rejection, I told myself that I wouldn't ask anyone to be my ally- they would have to approach me first. I figured no one would approach me because of how scrawny and sickly-looking I am. Living in a jail cell for the past few months under harsh conditions hasn't exactly done wonders for my health. But, for some reason, Trenton from District Twelve saw something in me. Maybe he's just taking pity on me, but he asked me yesterday if I wanted to be allies, and I told him I would.

I've already discovered that Trenton and I have a lot in common. We're both seventeen, and it's a miracle that the two of us are still living. Trenton was born a very tiny and sickly baby, and he wasn't expected to live to see his first birthday. And somehow, I'm still alive despite the fact that I've had nothing to eat but a few slices of moldy, stale bread per day for the past few months. We're also both very skinny, thanks to a lack of nutrition. We're both generally quiet people, and we're not strangers to death (my parents and his best friend).

The shrill sound of a whistle echoes throughout the training center, and everyone falls silent. "Tributes, it's time for lunch," Donalbain announces. Trenton and I leave the line for the climbing wall and hurry into the lunch room. Thankfully, we're near the front of the line, so we grab our food and find a place to sit rather quickly. I dig into my meal as soon as we sit down. I'm still amazed by the amount of food in the Capitol; you'd think they'd be able to share some with District Seven. I have to remind myself to eat slowly so that it doesn't come back up (which has already happened twice). My meal right now is about double what I'd eat in a whole day back home, so my body isn't used to it yet.

As the line of tributes waiting for food shortens, I notice that a lot less tributes are sitting alone today. Many of the tributes seem to have found allies. There's the four Careers, of course, completely ignoring everyone else. Then there's the young boys from Three and Eleven, and the strong, older boys from Six and Ten at another table. The girl from Seven and the boy from One are also sitting together, which seems like an odd duo. Then, there's the girls from Six and Ten, and finally, the boys from Five and Eight. Oddly enough, it looks like most of the alliance this year are only between two people. Chances are, some of those alliances will gain another person or two, but for now, it seems like most tributes (myself included) only want to put their trust in one other person.

"So, what do you think?" Trenton asks as he watches my eyes scan the room. "What alliances do we have a chance against?"

"Honestly, I think we'll be okay against everyone except the Careers and the guys from Six and Ten," I say.

"Yeah, I thought so too," Trenton agrees.

"As long as none of these two-person alliances combine to form a huge alliance, I think we'll have a chance against almost all of them," I say.

"Do you think we should start looking for another person or two?" Trenton asks. "Or will we be fine with just the two of us?"

"I think we should just keep the alliance between the two of us," I say. "The bigger we get, there's more of a chance someone in our alliance will betray us. Besides, our main objective as an alliance is just to survive, not to take out other tributes."

"Right," Trenton agrees. "If we wanted to hunt down and kill the other tributes, we'd probably need another member or two. But just having just the two of us makes the most sense. It'll be easier for us to avoid the powerful alliances, and we only have to worry about trusting each other."

Donalbain appears at the doorway and blows his whistle again."Okay tributes, lunch has ended. Please exit the cafeteria and resume your training." Trenton and I throw away our trash and return to the training center. As I look around, I realize that training is officially more than halfway over. We've got to make the best of this or we'll have a very difficult time in the arena.

 **Valerie Plasma (D3 F 15)**

I need allies. So far, no one has approached me about wanting an alliance, but I didn't expect anyone too. My firey, sarcastic personality tends to scare people away. So, I need to take the initiative and find myself some strong allies. I don't plan to play dirty or betray anyone, so I hope my potential allies will believe me when I say that. I plan to be one hundred percent honest with my allies, so I hope they appreciate that and agree to ally with me.

Plus, despite the fact that I'm only fifteen and from District Three, I'm a pretty strong tribute. I've been well-fed my whole life, so I have a little more meat on my bones than most tributes. I'm also athletic; I've been running around the alleys of District Three my whole life to play games like tag and truth or dare. I'm also competitive; growing up with a brother who's three years older than me speaks for itself. Overall, I think I'd make a great ally. I just have to find tributes who will accept me.

During the past two days, I've been keeping an eye out for potential allies. I think I've finally found an alliance that I want to join- the girls from Six and Ten. Lexi and Muna are also both fifteen, and I can tell that they're both tough girls. Lexi has pierced ears (which I'm assuming she did without any sort of painkiller), and she has a don't-mess-with-me aura that I really admire. Muna has a giant scar that stretches across her forehead, which means she's obviously had to tough it up during her life. The two of them are obviously both fighters, and I'd love to be apart of their alliance.

I spot the two of them over at the agility course, so I hop in line right behind them. "Hey, guys," I say. "You're Lexi and Muna, right?"

The two of them turn around with serious faces. "Yeah, that's us," Muna says without smiling.

"Geez, you two look like someone just died," I say. "But anyways, I wanted to know if you guys wanted a third ally."

Lexi and Muna look at each other for a second and then glare back at me. "Convince us," Lexi says. "Why should we want you as an ally?"

"Well, I can tell you guys admire toughness, and I promise you, I'm very strong and tough. I'm also smart and stealthy. I've been playing tag and hide-and-seek around the alleys of District Three my whole life. Plus, I'm a risk taker. I used to play truth or dare back at home with my friends."

A small smile forms on Lexi's face. "Did you say truth or dare?"

I nod. "Why, have you played it?"

Lexi points to her earrings. "My ears didn't pierce themselves," she says. "I've been dared to pierce my ears, tongue, belly button, and cartilage. The holes in my tongue and cartilage have closed, but I've still got my ears and belly button." She lifts her shirt to show the colored stone in her navel.

"Nice," I say. "But seriously, I'm in need of allies, and I really want to join you guys."

"Give us a sec," Muna says. "Save our spot in line." The two of them walk a few steps away and begin speaking in hushed tones. After about a minute of deliberation, they return.

"You're in," Lexi says. I notice that she's grinning a little.

"Great," I say. "I promise, I won't let you guys down. I'll be honest and loyal until the end."

"I'd hope so," Muna says. "We didn't agree to let you in to betray us." I don't think Muna likes me much.

"Are you always this serious?" I ask her.

Muna glares back at me. I swear, her eyes look like they're shooting daggers. "Only when I'm not sure if I can trust someone or not," she says.

"Well that shouldn't be a problem," I say. "You'll see, you can trust me with your life."

"I'll be the judge of that," Muna says. She turns around and faces the climbing wall.

Lexi shrugs. "She'll come around," she whispers to me.

I nod. Muna does seem like a nice girl, deep down inside. I just have to earn her trust.

 **Sable Maren (D10 M 18)**

There's about half an hour left of training, and Cole has convinced me to let us spend the time on berry identification. If we don't manage to grab much at the bloodbath, and if we don't receive any sponsor gifts, we may need to find some food to eat in the wilderness. I argued that we could just spear some squirrels or other mammals to eat, but Cole still wants to learn some edible berries, just in case there's no animals. So, I've agreed to spend a half hour here.

The main reason I chose to come with him is because I've been using a bowstaff my whole life, so I don't desperately need the extra practice. For a while, I was worried that I'd need to learn a new weapon for the Games. After all, I don't ever remember seeing someone using a bowstaff in the Hunger Games. However, my mentor assured me that if I show the Gamemakers how good I am with one, they'll be sure to put a bowstaff in the arena. The Gamemakers just want to put on a good show, so the more dangerous, deadly tributes they have, the better. My mentor tipped them off about my skills, and they but a bowstaff in the training center, so chances are, they'll put one in the arena too.

The trainer at the berry station shows us all of the edible and poisonous berries he has. After a few minutes, he hands us a pile of berries and tells us to sort them into two piles (edible and poisonous) while he goes over to help out another tribute at the station. We're about five minutes into our task when someone taps me on the shoulder. "Hey, can I talk with you two for a sec?" I whip around to see Micah, the boy from District Four standing behind us.

"Sure," I say. "What do you need?"

"Well, I just want to know if Jade from One has approached you about some sort of secret plan too."

"Yeah," Cole says. "She wanted to see if we could join her to take out the Careers. She also said she was going to talk to you about it, so I'm assuming that's why you're here."

Micah nods. "I'd love to join up with you guys to take out the Careers. You're obviously strong, and I think we'd make a good alliance. But the trouble is, I don't know if we can trust Jade."

"That's what we were thinking," I say. "For all we know, she could just be leading us right into a trap. It may just be a plan to take out the three strongest non-Careers."

"That's why I came to see you guys. I don't know you guys well, but I do know that I can trust you a whole lot more than I can trust Jade. I think the three of us need to decide what we're going to do about Jade's plan."

"Yeah," I say. "Well I do agree that the three of us should stick together. You obviously despise the Careers too, so if we want a chance against our biggest competition, we need to form an alliance."

"But we still don't know what to do about Jade," Cole says. "Maybe we should just wait and see if she does come for us on the third day and decide what we're going to do then."

"I think that's the only thing we can do," Micah says. "I mean, Jade may not even visit us on the third day. She could change her mind or not be able to find us."

"Yeah, I agree," I say. "We should just let everything play out and decide what to do when the time comes."

At that moment, the trainer walks back over to check our progress. "How you guys doing?" he asks. "Are you done yet?"

"Sorry," I say. "We need a few more minutes." The trainer walks away and I turn back to Micah. "We'll talk tomorrow," I say.

"Sounds good," Micah says. "See you later."

Cole and I return to sorting our berries. We're almost finished when Donalbain blows his whistle. "Attention, tributes! Day two of training has officially ended! Please meet me in the center of the room for some important information!" Cole and I set down the last of our berries and congregate with the other tributes in the middle of the training center.

Donalbain begins talking again. "As you all know, tomorrow is the last day of training. You'll have half a day of normal training, and after lunch, the individual sessions will begin. You'll be called out of the cafeteria, one by one, to show the Gamemakers your skills. Please take some time to decide what you're going to show them. Training scores are a big deal, and it could mean life or death in the arena. See you tomorrow. You're dismissed." I say goodbye to Cole and head towards the exit. Like Donalbain said, tomorrow is going to be a big day, and I need to be ready for it.

 **We're getting so close to the Games! And yes, Sable got a second POV, but that's only because I felt it's necessary for the plot. Any characters who didn't get a POV in these past three chapters will get one next chapter.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	13. Training: Day Three

**Training: Day Three**

 **Jazper Hart (D3 M 13)**

I dash into the training center just as Donalbain, the head trainer, steps into the crowd of tributes to make his customary, beginning-of-training speech. I breathe a sigh of relief and sneak behind the tributes in the back. I forgot to set my alarm, so I overslept and was shaken awake by my mentor about five minutes ago. I have to say, I made it down here very quickly, considering the circumstances. Yes, my shoes may not be on properly, my shirt may be on backwards, and half of a bagel may be hanging out of my mouth, but I'm here and that's all that matters.

"Welcome, tributes, for your final day of training," Donalbain begins as I try to catch my breath and shove my shoes on all of the way. "As you know, you have until noon to train freely, just like we've been doing for the past few days. At noon, we'll break for lunch, which will last thirty minutes, as usual. However, after lunch, instead of everyone returning to the training center, the Gamemakers will be calling you in, one by one, for your private training session. The order of the sessions will be determined by your district number; they'll start with the District One male and work their way to the District Twelve female. Once your session has ended, you'll be free to return to your rooms. Are there any questions?"

Donaldbain pauses, which happens to be right when I'm fixing my shirt. Since it's over my head, covering my face, I can only hope that Donaldbain isn't scanning the crowd to look for raised hands. I'd rather he didn't see me having issues with my shirt. "Okay, then," Donalbain finally says. "In that case, good luck with your final day of training. All I can tell you is this: stay focused and pick stations wisely. If you remember that, your choices should pay off in the end."

As the rest of the tributes disperse, I make my way over to Spud. "Hey, Jazper," he says when he sees me. "So what stations do you think we should go to today?"

"Well, I'd like to spend some time practicing with slingshots," I say. I tried using them yesterday, and I actually was pretty good (well, compared to the rest of the weapons I decided to try). I hope I won't have to use a slingshot during the Games. But, if I get into a situation where I need to protect myself, at least I've got something to work with. "Besides that, I guess we should just hit some survival stations again, unless there's anything in particular you'd rather work on."

"Nope," Spud says. "Although, I might try some other weapons while you're practicing with your slingshot." Spud hasn't managed to find a weapon he can use yet. He's not strong enough to use spears or swords, and his aim isn't accurate enough to use slingshots, blow darts, or arrows. If we're ever in danger, I guess I'll just find him a knife and wish him luck.

I'm sure that won't be the only scenario when we'll need luck. Clearly, Spud and I aren't exactly cut out for the Hunger Games. We're both young, scrawny boys who have a slim chance of winning. Despite this fact, though, we're still trying to stay optimistic. There's always the possibility that Spud and I could get lucky and survive for more than a few days. It isn't over until your cannon fires and your face appears in the sky, so I won't give up until that happens.

I walk over to the targets and pick up my slingshot. As I launch pellet after pellet at the target, I begin to think about what I'm going to do at my private training session. Obviously, I'm going to have to show the Gamemakers my skills with a slingshot. They always award higher points to tributes who use weapons, so I'm hoping they'll be impressed that a little, untrained boy from District Three can fire a slingshot half decently. I also plan to show the Gamemakers my survival skills since I'm also okay at those. I'll have revisit some of the survival stations today to figure out which ones I'm best at. Once I've figured that out, all that's left to do is to nail my session. I'm not exactly expecting Spud to score highly, so the more sponsors I can get us with my score, the better.

 **Trenton Stewart (D12 M 17)**

I heave another spear at the target. It makes contact, but in the outermost ring. "Well, at least you're hitting the target now," Kairen says with half a smile. "Half an hour ago you weren't even close."

I sigh. The private training sessions are only a few hours away, and I still haven't found a weapon that I'm good at. I've tried using a number of different weapons, and I'm average, at best, with all of them. "Yeah, but there's no way the Gamemakers will give me a good score for hitting the outermost ring of the bullseye. If I went in throwing like this, I'd get four points, tops."

"I think you just need more practice," Kairen says as he retrieves my spear for me. Kairen's lucky that he comes from District Seven. Even though he doesn't work in a lumberyard, he's still fairly good with an axe. Then again, everyone in District Seven learns how to use an axe at some point in their childhood, so District Seven tributes always come in here with an advantage. Stupid District Twelve. The only thing I've learned from living there is that coal dust gets on _everything_. With four older brothers and two parents working in the mines, I don't think there's anything in our house that isn't stained with coal dust.

My heart sinks as I think of my family. I'd give anything to be back with them, doing what we love: singing, looking at the stars, reading, wrestling. Even though all four of my brothers are older than me, I was still just as strong as them, so I enjoyed wrestling them. Even when we were mad at each other, it was still fun. Wait a minute... wrestling's a skill that could come in handy during the Games. If I get caught in a situation without any weapons, I can just wrestle my opponent to the ground. Careers typically learn how throw and block punches, but not how to get out of a headlock. Wrestling actually could be a very valuable skill in the arena.

"I've got it," I tell Kairen as I set down my spear. "I know what I'm going to do at my private training session: wrestling!"

"Wrestling?" Kairen says, wrinkling his nose. "Isn't that when two sweaty guys roll around on the ground and try to lay on top of their opponent?"

"Uhhh, no," I say. "Wrestling is a fighting and defense technique that doesn't use weapons. However, instead of throwing punches, you try to drag the other guy to the ground and pin him."

"Okay," Kairen says. "So how are you going to show that to the Gamemakers?"

"I don't know," I say. "I guess I'm just going to have to hope they have a trainer who's trained in wrestling. I mean, I've heard they have trainers for sword fighting and hand-to-hand combat, so maybe they'll have someone who can wrestle."

"Yeah, they'll probably have someone," Kairen says. "Even if it's a trainer who does hand-to-hand combat, you can just tell him you want to wrestle instead."

"I guess so," I say. "So, what are you going to do for your private session?"

"I think I'm going to do a few things," Kairen replies. "First, I'll show them my stealth. I've been refining that skill for years." He smiles. Kairen's already told me about his life back in District Seven. He was a thief, so he's had plenty of practice picking pockets and dashing away before the person even realizes that something's missing. "Then, I'll show them my weapons skills with axes and knives."

"Sounds good," I say. "There's a great chance for both of us to get a high score and gain sponsors. That could really help us out in the arena."

"I agree," Kairen says. "It's crucial that we get a high combined score today. It could mean life or death in the arena."

 **Lumiere Rutherford (D1 M 15)**

I'm so happy that Cleo agreed to be my ally. She's very talented- she's great at climbing, she can use an axe well, and she's very intelligent. She's also very pretty, which will get us sponsors during the Games. However, since she's much more talented than I am, I hope she won't have to carry my weight in the arena. I have to admit, my looks should also get us a few sponsors, but that's about all. I'm terrible with weapons, so I've been focusing my efforts on learning survival skills. If I can get a good grasp on them, it'll be a huge help for our alliance in the arena.

Cleo and I have decided to split up and go to separate stations for the day. That way, we can cover more ground and perfect whatever skills we plan to show the Gamemakers later. For the past hour, I've been working on fire-starting, and I've discovered that I'm actually not too bad at it. I may even decide to show my fire-starting skills to the Gamemakers later. Since I'm terrible with weapons, I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to have to show the Gamemakers my survival skills. So, if I can come up with a few more survival skills that I'm not terrible at, maybe I can get myself a half-decent score.

Since I've spent a lot of time at this station today, I decide to go check out another one. I say goodbye to the trainer and head over to the snare and trap-making station. I worked a lot on tying knots yesterday, so maybe that knowledge will carry over to making traps. I arrive at the station, and the trainer working there gives me a quick demo on some basic traps and snares. Once I've got two easy ones down, she hands me an sheet of paper with instructions on some harder ones, and leaves me to go work with another tribute.

As I twist a length of rope into a delicate snare, I find myself thinking about everyone back home: Stark, Tabitha, Venus, and all of the other kids who I lived with. Have things changed since I volunteered for the Games and freed myself? Did Venus manage to tip the Peacekeeper off about her father's child sex trafficking system? Did they listen to her and hang the evil man? Or, what if the Peacekeepers didn't listen, and the man decided to punish the other kids because I volunteered? I shiver at the thought of it. I could never forgive myself if the cost of my freedom meant more misery for the other kids.

The trainer returns a few minutes later to check on my handiwork. "Good job," he tells me as he examines one of my traps. "You made this one really well. I think this is the best one I've seen this year." My mood lifts slightly. I guess I can add trap-making to the list of things I may decide to show the Gamemakers.

After about an hour, my hands begin to get tired and sore, so I decide to leave the station. If I'm going to make some traps for the Gamemakers later today, I don't want my hands to be too tired. I walk over to the water fountain for a quick swig and then scan the room for Cleo. I spot her standing in the line for the climbing wall and decide to check in with her. "Hey, Cleo," I say, tapping her on the back. "How's everything going?"

"It's going okay," she says with the slightest of smiles. "What stations have you gone to so far?"

"Berry identification, fire starting, and trap making," I tell her. "What about you?"

"I worked on tomahawks for a while," she says. "Turns out I'm not to bad at them. I've also practiced axe throwing, and I'm just about to try the climbing wall again."

I glance up at the clock and feel a slight wave of panic when I realize what time it is. "We only have about three hours of training left, so I think I'm going to find another station to go to."

"Okay," Cleo says. "I guess I'll see you at lunch then."

"See ya," I say. I turn around and begin searching for another station to go to.

 **Muna Taylor (D10 F 15)**

Valerie is driving me crazy.

Yesterday, Valerie came up to Lexi and I and asked if we wanted another ally. Initially, I was a bit nervous about letting her in because I didn't know if we could trust her, but Lexi convinced me. We figured that there's power in numbers, and Valerie's athleticism could come in handy. However, now that I've gotten to know Valerie better, I've learned that she might be the most brutally honest person I've ever met. She's got a very sarcastic sense of humor that I haven't quite been able to follow, and she talks way too much. I've almost lashed out at her about five times today, and we're only halfway through the morning.

Despite all of this, I can tell that Valerie's intentions are good. She's not trying to be rude or annoying. Her honesty and sarcasm are simply part of her personality. It's just going to take some time to get used to it. I know that having her as an ally is going to be worth it. This is a battle to the death, so I need to take advantage of every available resource, Valerie included. I just have to keep a calm head and remind myself that it'll all be worth it in the end.

Today, the three of us have decided to focus on whatever skills we're showing the Gamemakers later. Lexi has been working on hand-to-hand combat almost all morning. I can tell that she's improved a lot since the first day of training. For her session, Valerie plans to use a whip and some knives to mutilate a dummy, so she's been practicing with those weapons. And I've been working on a variety of different things. I plan to show the Gamemakers a wide range of skills: knives, hand-to-hand combat, survival skills and more. I'm hoping they'll award me a higher score if I show them multiple skills instead of just one or two, even if I'm not particularly outstanding with any of them.

Currently, I'm throwing knives with Valerie while Lexi watches us. She's been taking frequent breaks from hand-to-hand combat so that she doesn't tire herself out too much before this afternoon. I can tell that I'm improving, but most of my knives hit the outer rings of he target instead of the center. On a particularly bad throw, I miss the target completely, and the knife lands in the wall with a thud. "What were you aiming for there?" Valerie asks, chuckling. "District Ten?"

I give Valerie a fake laugh and roll my eyes when she looks away. I actually miss District Ten a lot, and I don't appreciate her joking about it. I bite my tongue, take a deep breath, and then walk over to the wall to retrieve my knife. As much as I hate to admit it, I need Valerie as an ally- and Lexi too. To be honest, I think the three of us all have the potential to pick up a pretty decent score during training- maybe around a six or seven apiece. Now alone, those scores may be overlooked, but combined, our alliance has the potential to pick up a significant number of sponsors.

Plus, having Valerie as an ally ups my chance of survival. If we get attacked, there's a greater chance we'll win the battle, especially if we're only facing one or two tributes. With Valerie in the alliance, there'll be one more person to search for food, one more person to keep watch at night, and one more brain to think ourselves out of unsatisfactory situations. As long as I keep a cool head and try my best to tolerate Valerie's sarcasm and bluntness, everything should go smoothly.

I decide to take a break from knives and move on to hand-to-hand combat. As I take swings at the trainer's padded gloves, I realize that this is a great way to release my emotions and frustrations. My family comes to mind as I punch harder and harder. They're probably the biggest motivation I have out here. And my friends too: Maizie and Topaz. It's crazy how much I miss them, and it's only been a few days. I need to make it back home to everyone. I don't want to be the cause of their suffering.

 **Claire Bureau (D5 F 18)**

There's about an hour and a half of training left, and I've decided to give up on my search for allies. Unfortunately, I think it's time to accept the inevitable: I'm going into the Hunger Games alone. Honestly, I wouldn't mind going in alone if it weren't for the fact that my weapons skills are pitiful. I don't have an ounce of athleticism in my body, so if I get attacked, I'm dead. The only things I have going for me are my intelligence and survival skills. So, as of now, my strategy for the arena is to hide out in the wilderness and wait for the mayhem to pass. Then, if I somehow manage to survive for a few days, I'll have to rely on my brain to think of a way to eliminate the remaining tributes.

I'm still super bummed that I wasn't able to find an ally. Although, it's not really my fault. I planned on allying with a female tribute who's around my age, but there aren't many of those this year. The only other eighteen-year-old girl is a Career, so that's not a viable option. There's three seventeen-year-old non-Career girls, but Cleo from Seven already has an alliance, Mindi from Twelve is irritatingly rude and stupid, and Kiyata from Eight doesn't want any allies. There's one sixteen-year-old girl, but I have no desire to become mystical girl's apprentice. The only other option I have would be to ally with a boy, but I'm against that idea too. If I've learned one thing from Mr. Perfect, Edmund Parker, it's to never trust guys.

I'm trying my best to look on the bright side of this situation. I mean, if I'm alone, it'll be easier for me to hide. Also, I won't have to worry about trusting anyone, and I'll only have to collect enough food and water for one person: me. It's going to be tough, though, because I won't have any supplies to work with. I'm not planning on taking anything from the bloodbath, unless there's something close that I can grab quickly. Also, I'm not expecting to get many (if any) sponsor gifts. Since I can't use weapons, I won't get a high training score, so my only opportunity to gain sponsors will be during the interviews. Long story short, I'm going to be on my own out there. I'll just have to take on challenges as they come and try to survive for as long as I can.

I've been working on berry identification for almost the whole morning. Since I can't count on getting any food from the bloodbath or sponsor gifts, I'll have to collect all of it from the wilderness. Hopefully, this year's arena won't be a barren landscape. I need at least some plants to work with. I'm also hoping that there'll be some small animals in the arena. Yesterday, I spent a bit of time learning how to make snares, so if I can find myself some vines, I could make a few half-decent traps. Then, I could catch myself some protein. Yes, then I'd have to figure out how to start a fire without flint or matches, but I could get lucky. Maybe, out of the kindness of their hearts, a few sponsors could chip in a few coins to send me a single match.

I look up at the clock and realize that there's only an hour of training left. I'm really starting to get tired of sorting tiny berries into piles, so I decide to leave the station and head over to camouflage. This is my absolute favorite station, and I think I deserve to spend my last hour here. I used to draw and do artsy things back in District Five, so I actually enjoy painting my face and body with mud and leaves. Besides, if my strategy is going to be to hide out until the end, camouflage could certainly come in handy during the Games. If the other tributes can't even see me, they won't be able to kill me.

As I try to paint my arms a mossy green color, I find myself distracted by all of the other tributes in the training center. It's hard to believe that in a few short days, we'll be fighting each other to the death. Now that it's day three of training, the reality of it all is really sinking in. Even though there are some rude, cocky, and just plain annoying tributes, I don't have a death wish for any of them. None of these tributes, not even the Careers, deserve to die like this. Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way. In less than a month, twenty-three of the people in this room will be dead, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it.

 **Bebe Cora (D4 F 17)**

I feel like I'm babysitting a group of toddlers. Mileena and Ty have been bickering nonstop for the past three days. Their primary disagreement seems to be over who is the "leader" of the Careers. Even though neither of them says it outright to each other, it's easy to tell that they're jostling for power. Although Jade isn't bickering with them, she isn't exactly helping the situation. If anything, it almost seems like she's encouraging them.

So, it's been my job to settle their many arguments. My psychology training has come in handy more than I could've ever imagined. Honestly, my knowledge of the human brain is the only thing preventing Mileena and Tyroarius from killing each other. I've taken each of them aside countless times to convince them that it doesn't matter who's "in charge." I've told them that they just have to stick with the alliance and let everything unfold. The stronger Career will eventually prevail.

So far, they seem to be listening to me. Mileena and Ty aren't exactly intelligent, so they've been eating up my words without much thought. They should be very easy to manipulate in the future. Jade, on the other hand, is a different story. I can read most people just like a book, but Jade has proved to be tougher to interpret. I can tell that she's smarter than most of the tributes. I can also tell that she's hiding a huge secret- maybe even more than one. And I'm going to figure out what it is.

The main reason I believe Jade is hiding something is because of how she acts when talking about her life back in District One. She claims she was born into a fairly rich family, so she could afford to train in the district's training center, just like every other volunteer. It couldn't be more obvious that she's lying. Whenever she says something about District One, she never elaborates, her voice normally shakes a little, and she looks at the ground. I haven't figured out what it is yet, but there's something shady about her past.

She's also hiding something dealing with her plan for the arena. Whenever anyone mentions anything about our strategy for the arena (such as tribute hunting, how we'll organize our supplies, which tributes we need to eliminate) she acts uninterested and often tries to change the subject. I don't think she even realizes she's doing it. Nevertheless, it's easy to tell that Jade has her own plan for the arena, and there must be a reason why she isn't letting the Careers in on it.

"Attention, tributes!" the head trainer, Donalbain shouts. "Day three of training has officially ended! Please exit the training center through the cafeteria doors. Once you've eaten your lunch, please sit patiently and await further instructions involving your private training sessions."

Jade, Mileena, Tyroarius, and I drop our weapons and file into the cafeteria with the other tributes. We sit down at our usual table, and Mileena and Ty take a break from bickering to eat their lunch. I notice that it's much quieter today than it was yesterday and the day before. Everyone must be nervous about their private training session. I'm nervous too, but I've got a plan. If everything goes smoothly, I should be able to earn myself a respectable score.

As I eat, I decide to scout out the other alliances. I first lay eyes on Jazper and Spud from Districts Three and Eleven. They shouldn't be an issue; they'll be bloodbaths. Next, there's Valerie, Lexi, and Muna from Three, Six, and Ten. They shouldn't be an issue either, but they do seem like tough girls who may be able to last a few days. The same thing goes for Kairen and Trenton from Seven and Twelve. Although they aren't huge threats, they'll probably survive the bloodbath. And, if they're lucky, they could survive a few more days.

Cleo from District Seven and Lumiere from District One are an odd duo. It's hard to predict how far they'll make it. Though he hasn't trained, Lumiere is from a Career district, and I watched Cleo attack the climbing wall, and she's very strong for a non-Career. Lindroz and Logan from Eight and Nine are also unpredictable, mainly because of Logan's outburst at the reapings. Somehow, though, he's managed to find himself an ally, so he can't be a complete sociopath. The last pair sitting together is Cole and Sable from Districts Six and Ten. I think I can safely say that they'll be our biggest rivals in the Games. They're both strong tributes, but they do lack numbers. If they teamed up with Micah or another strong tribute I'd be worried, but as is, the two of them don't really stand a chance against four fully-trained Careers.

Once everyone has finished eating, Donalbain walks in to give another announcement. "We are about to begin the private training sessions," he says. "We will start with the District One male and work our way down to the District Twelve female. When your name is called, please enter the training center and begin showing the panel of Gamemakers your best skills. You will be dismissed after fifteen minutes. Good luck. We will begin calling you in shortly."

 **First of all, I think I owe everyone a huge apology for not updating in over a month and a half. Spring is always my busiest season of the year, mainly because I have either track, basketball, or both every day. It's been tough, but with a few minutes here and there I managed to squeak out these six POVs.**

 **Despite all of this, the good news is that track just ended, and the even better news is that school ends in three weeks. I have finals in about two weeks, so it's hard to say if I'll find time to write in between now and then. Nevertheless, as soon as finals are over, it's going to be so much easier to find writing time.**

 **I'm super excited to dive back into this story without having to sacrifice my writing time to go do homework or go to practice. Although updates have been rare and unpredictable, thank you to everyone who's stuck with this story. I promise, I have no desire to give up on this fanfic, and I will keep writing until we have our victor.**

 **Next chapter will be the private training sessions. I've skimmed through a few tribute forms and realized that I may have to make some changes. There were a few scores and sessions that seemed either unrealistic or Mary-Sue-ish, so I may have to do a little tweaking. That should only affect a few tributes, but I just thought I'd give everyone a heads up.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	14. Private Sessions: Districts One- Four

**Private Training Sessions (Part One):**

 **Lumiere Rutherford (D1 M 15)**

"Lumiere Rutherford," the loudspeaker announces, "please report to the training center for your private training session." Cleo wishes me luck and gives me an assuring smile, but it doesn't do anything to calm my nerves. Most years, the District One male is a lot more talented than I am. He gets the private training sessions rolling by putting on one of the best shows for the Gamemakers. I'm going to be a huge let down. I know I won't get the worst score of the night, but I'm not expecting the best either. I think I'll be around average, which is okay for most districts, but not for District One.

I step through the double doors and look up at the panel of Gamemakers seated on the balcony. The Head Gamemaker, Adameus Fletcher, stands up and clears his throat. "Mr. Rutherford, you have fifteen minutes to impress us with your best skills. Your time starts now."

I quickly make my way over to the fire starting station and head straight to work. I start by piling up a stack of sticks. Once my pile's big enough, I grab some dry grass and leaves and mush them together. I hold them in my hands as I strike a piece of flint, hoping for the perfect spark. I finally get one; I blow lightly on the spark, praying that it'll light. It does- I carefully nurse the flame into a bigger flame and place it on my carefully-arranged pile of sticks. And, bingo- the stack catches and my whole pile goes up in flames.

I wait a few seconds to watch my fire burn and to celebrate my success in completing stage one of my session. Now, it's time for stage two. I head over to the trap-making station and spend a few minutes looping rope together to create an intricate snare. When I'm finally finished, I realize I should probably give the Gamemakers a demonstration. I grab a dummy off the wall and place it on one of the empty wheeled racks that are normally used to transport weapons. I line up the cart in front of the trap and give it a giant push. A second later, the dummy's hanging from the trap by an ankle. I look up at the Gamemakers, hoping they liked my performance. "You are dismissed,"Adameus Fletcher simply says.

* * *

Hours later, I sit on the couch with Jade, our mentors, and our stylists, as we wait for Tristan Honeybee to appear on t.v. and announce our training scores. I'm extremely nervous. In my opinion, my session went well, but I'm worried I didn't do enough to impress the Gamemakers. At last, the television clicks to life. Tristan Honeybee gives a short introduction to explain the scoring process, and finally, he begins announcing the scores. "First up, we have Lumiere Rutherford from District One, with a score of six." No one in the room says anything. For a Career district, a six is a terrible score. However, my face breaks into a rare smile. I'm no Career. I didn't expect to score as high as them. I'm just a scrawny, untrained, fifteen-year-old boy from a child sex trafficking system in District One. And I'm proud of my six.

 **Jade Platinum (D1 F 17)**

"Jade Platinum, please report to the training center for your private training session." I take a deep breath, wave goodbye to the rest of the Careers, and head tor the training center doors. I try to shake the butterflies out of my stomach as I step into the room. I just need to relax, and then I'll do fine. This is just another day of target practice. "Miss Platinum, you have fifteen minutes to impress us with your best skills," Adameus Fletcher announces. "Your time starts now."

I grab a few of my favorite spears off of the rack and line up in front of the targets. One by one, I launch the spears through the air. They land with a "thunk" in the targets. I end up throwing a total of twenty spears. Seventeen of them hit the bullseye. Well, I'm satisfied with eighty-five percent. I grab the spears, place them back on the rack, and move on to the next part of my session.

I walk into the corner and grab one of the live-action combat dummies. According to my mentor, these dummies have been used to practice sword-fighting for years. However, they've just had a major upgrade. Now, the dummies can fight hand-to-hand, with spears, or with a few more combat styles. Once I've dragged the dummy to the center of the room, I set it to spear fighting on level eight out of ten. I take a deep breath and begin.

It takes me a while to defeat the dummy. It moves very smoothly, just like a professional spear-fighter. The technology amazes me; if we had these to practice with in District One, I know I'd improve significantly. I finally jab my spear into the dummy's "heart" and it falls to the ground and powers down. I glance up at the clock; my session lasted fourteen minutes and forty seconds- that's nearly perfect timing. "You may go," the Head Gamemaker says, sensing that I'm done. I thank the Gamemakers for their time and then walk out the door.

* * *

The room goes silent when Lumiere's score appears on screen. A six is terrible for a Career's score, but Lumiere is no Career. A six is pretty good for someone who has never trained. Lumiere must think along the same lines because his face breaks into the only smile I've seen on his face all week. I return my eyes to the screen where a picture of my face has already appeared. I cross my fingers. "Jade Platinum with a score of nine." I breathe a sigh of relief. I'm definitely satisfied with a nine. Everyone applauds me as I sink back into the couch. I'm very glad that the District One scores are announced first. All the anxiety and nervousness surrounding my score has disappeared. Now, I can focus on what the other tributes got and who I'll need to look out for in the arena.

 **Tyroarius Stryker (D2 M 18)**

A little more than fifteen minutes after Jade leaves, my name is called over the loudspeaker. I stand up and walk towards the training center doors. I can't help but notice that every tribute in the room has his or her eyes on me- seventy-five percent of them seem frightened, or even just intimidated by my hulking figure. I can't blame them; out of all the tributes, I've got to look the strongest and deadliest. I might as well have some fun with this. I narrow my eyes at the two youngest boys, and they immediately look away. That was almost too easy. As I continue my walk to the doors, I give a few more menacing looks to the scared tributes. Geez, if they're terrified of me now, wait until they see me in the arena.

I enter through the double doors and stare up at the balcony of Gamemakers eagerly awaiting my arrival. They seem very excited to watch my performance. Out of all the tributes, I believe I have the best chance of scoring an eleven. That's the goal for today. If I can score myself an eleven, I'll have sponsors lining up for miles. I've got a lot that I plan to show the Gamemakers, so if everything goes smoothly, a score of eleven isn't that far out of reach.

The Head Gamemaker tells me to begin, so I immediately get started. I start out by throwing ten spears at the targets. Nine of them hit the bullseye, which is pretty good, but I would've liked all ten. I move on to throwing knives and go nine for ten here too. Damn, I gotta turn this around if I want an eleven. I return to the weapons bin and pull out a spiked club. I line up a bunch of dummies and then begin tearing them all to pieces with the club. By the time I'm done, all that remain are shreds of fabric, littering the floor.

I glance up at the clock and see I have just under five minutes left. I decide I'll show the Gamemakers how strong I am. Using some of the heaviest weights, I launch them across the room as the Gamemakers look on in awe. When my time expires, I drop the weights and head for the door, but the Head Gamemaker stops me. "Could you do us a favor and put the weights back on the rack? Normally, we'd have the trainers do it, but it would probably take them hours." I smile and start carrying the weights back. The Gamemakers must've been impressed with me, but the question is, were they impressed enough to award me an eleven?

* * *

I sit next to Mileena on the couch, anxiously waiting for Tristan Honeybee to announce my score. I really hope the Gamemakers have decided to award me an eleven. If I get a ten, I'll only be okay with it as long as Mileena doesn't get a ten too. She's got an odd desire to be the leader of the Careers, even though the leader is normally the strongest Career. If I score higher than her, that'll solidify my spot as the leader, and not even Mileena will be able to argue with it. I look up at the screen where a picture of my face has appeared. "Tyroarius Stryker with a score of ten." My mentor and prep team applaud and congratulate me, but Mileena gives me a sly smile. Now, I just have to hope that she scored lower.

 **Mileena Nero (D2 F 18)**

"Mileena Nero, please report to the training center for your private training session." I stand up and walk towards the doors, not allowing myself to look at any of the other tributes. I'm sure they're all staring at me, but I simply ignore them. They're all beneath me, and it'll show during the Games when I kill them all. I step through the double doors and into the training center. I look up at the panel of Gamemakers sitting on the balcony. "Mileena Nero, you have fifteen minutes to impress us with your best skills," the Head Gamemaker announces. "Your time starts now."

I start out by throwing spears at the targets. One by one, all ten of my spears fly through the air and land with a thunk. Nine of them hit the bullseye. It's not perfect, but it's close. I guess I'm satisfied with that. Next, I grab a combat dummy, set it to spear fighting, level eight, and begin. I haven't practiced with these dummies yet, but I get used to it fairly quickly. It takes me about seven minutes to defeat the dummy, which is longer than I would've liked, but it's still impressive. It leaves me with the perfect amount of time for stage three of my performance.

Once the dummy has stopped moving, I walk over to the weight rack. I spend the rest of my session chucking heavy weights across the room. I glance up at the Gamemakers; they all seem impressed by my strength. I bet they didn't think a girl could be this strong. When my fifteen minutes comes to an end, the Head Gamemaker dismisses me. I give the Gamemakers a sly smile and then turn towards the door. I absolutely crushed that! I think I just earned myself an eleven. My original goal was a ten, but I've definitely just raised the bar with that performance.

* * *

I give Tyroarius a fake smile when his score of ten flashes onto the screen. This is fantastic! I have the chance to outscore the Capitol-voted biggest threat in the Games! My body fills with anticipation and excitement as Tristan Honeybee moves on to my score. "Mileena Nero, with a score of nine." Nine? Are the Gamemakers all effing blind? This is bullshit! I deserve an eleven! I look over at Ty and see a smug smile forming on his face. I can't believe him! What an asshole! I grab a coaster off the table and chuck it at his head. Before it even hits him, I stand up and stomp off to my room.

 **Jazper Hart (D3 M 13)**

I'm so nervous that I barely hear the loudspeaker announce my name. Spud nudges me towards the doors. "Knock the Gamemakers dead," he says. I almost laugh; I wish. I stand up and slowly plod into the training center. The Gamemakers look down at me with looks of disapproval on their faces. My appearance alone has already convinced them not to expect much. "You have fifteen minutes," the Head Gamemaker tells me in a stern voice. "Begin."

I start out by showing the Gamemakers my survival skills. First, I try berry identification. I score a 90% on the berry test, and then move on to fire-starting. With only a piece of flint and some sticks, I get a fire going in no time. Next, I create three different traps and throw a dummy into each of them. After that, I complete the basic survival skills test and earn a 95%. I stare up at the clock and see that there's about five minutes left. That's the perfect amount of time for my grand finale.

I walk over to one of the weapons racks and grab a slingshot. My accuracy has improved tremendously over the past few days, so I'm hoping it'll show for the Gamemakers. I fire ten pellets to begin with; six bounce off the bullseye. I can do better than that. I collect my ammo and fire again. This time, seven pellets hit the bullseye. There's a minute left; I've got time for one more round. I rush to collect my pellets and launch them all a third time. Once again, I'm six for ten. "You may go," the Head Gamemaker announces. I turn around and amble over to the exit. Well, I suppose that could've gone worse. It wasn't an exemplary performance, but for me, it was pretty darn close.

* * *

For the second time today, I feel so nervous that I could probably explode. It stinks, being the first non-Career to get his score announced. Even if I manage to scrape out a near-average score, it'll look laughable against the Careers' scores. "From District Three," Tristan Honeybee begins, "Jazper Hart with a score of five." I smile and sink back into the couch. A five isn't a bad score at all. Yes, it's about average, but for a scrawny, four-foot-ten thirteen-year-old from District Three, it's not too shabby. After all, it's only a point away from what the District One boy got.

 **Valerie Plasma (D3 F 15)**

"Valerie Plasma, please report to the training center for your private training session." I sigh, push myself out of my seat, and slice my hand across my neck as if I'm cutting off my head. _Kill me now_ , I mouth to Lexi and Muna. I trudge over to the doors and enter the training center. I can't wait to get this over with. All I'm going to do is show the Gamemakers my skills with a whip, so it shouldn't take the whole fifteen minutes. "Valerie Plasma, you have fifteen minutes to show us your skills" Adameus Fletcher says in a monotone voice. He sounds like he's reciting from a textbook. "Your time starts now."

"No need to act so cheerful, Adam." Whoops, I said that out loud, didn't I? Oh well; it's his fault for being so dang excited to see me. I don't even bother to catch a glimpse of the Head Gamemaker's reaction to my remark. Instead, I briskly walk over to the weaponry rack and grab my favorite whip. Hanging the whip over my shoulder, I drag a combat dummy into the center of the room and prop it up. I'm about to begin when I realize that I forgot knives. I jog back over to the weapons rack and grab a handful normal-sized knives. I place them in my pocket, run back to my dummy, and set it to whip combat, level six. At last, I begin.

The dummy manages to block my first few swipes. It's a minor setback, but I know that once I find my groove, this dummy will be nothing but a pile of fabric on the floor. I eventually manage to slice up his limbs a little bit, but only enough to make small tears in the dummy. Finally, I catch my opponent off guard and manage a huge undercut slice on his feet. The dummy basically trips over the whip and lands on its back. Here comes the fun part. Just as the dummy hits the ground, I whip out one of my knives and thrust it though the dummy's "heart," pinning it to the ground. I pull out the rest of my knives and jab them into the rest of the dummy's kill spots. When it stops moving, I grab my weapon again and whip it to shreds. "Ta-da!" I say in a bored voice, waving my hands and looking up at the Gamemakers.

A few of the Gamemakers seem to be mildly impressed by my performance, but they roll their eyes at my sarcasm. One Gamemaker points up at the clock with a disapproving expression on his face; look at that, I've still got six minutes left. There's not quite enough time for me to fight another dummy, so instead, I take a few motionless ones out of the corner and line them up. One by one, I whip each dummy until the floor disappears under the pile of shredded fabric. I look up at the Gamemakers again. "Yeah, yeah, you can get out of here now," the Head Gamemaker says.

"Thanks, Adam," I reply as I turn on my heel and walk away. I make it all the way to the door before I realize that I called the Head Gamemaker by his first name; again. Way to go, Valerie. Way to go.

* * *

I really hope I didn't piss my man Adam off too much. Somehow, Jazper managed to squeak out a five, and I don't think I could live with myself if I scored worse than him. An unflattering picture of my face appears onscreen. "Valerie Plasma with a score of six." I frown and wrinkle my nose. A six is above average, but I know I could've done better than that. If I hadn't been such an idiot, I bet I could've gotten myself a seven or eight. Oh well. Training scores don't mean everything. Adam will realize his scoring mistake when he sees me kicking butt in the Games.

 **Micah Islen (D4 M 17)**

"Micah Islen, please report to the training center for your private training session." I take a deep breath and stand up from my chair. As I walk by Cole and Sable, we make eye contact, and I smile slightly. We have decided to make our alliance a secret until the Games. That way, the three of us can fly under the radar until we team up with Jade and blindside the Careers. I mean, that's assuming that Jade is telling the truth. But that's a problem for another day. Right now, I need to focus on doing well during my private training session.

I enter the room and stare up at the Gamemakers. "Micah Islen, you have fifteen minutes to show us what you can do," the Head Gamemaker announces. "Your time starts now." I nod at the Gamemakers and make my way over to the weapons rack. I pull out my favorite axe, flick it into the air, and catch it by the handle. It's go time. I run over to the corner and drag out a combat dummy. I set it to level nine, axe fighting, and begin.

Axe fighting isn't a normal weapon choice for a Career district, so the Gamemakers look a little surprised to see me fighting with it. They'll get over it, though. I just have to defeat the dummy and show them what I'm capable of. For the first few minutes of the fight, it's pretty even. We both make swift moves and counter moves, but we're both fast enough to block nearly every swing. I manage to slash the dummy in the shoulder, and he nicks my leg, but it's nothing severe. This isn't working. We're too evenly matched. If I want to defeat the dummy, I'm going to have to think outside the box. I have to outsmart him.

My mind quickly formulates a plan. I take a few steps back, and the dummy follows. Excellent; I can make this work. We continue to fight as I slowly lead the dummy towards the nearest wall. When my back hits the wall, I drop my axe at my feet. The dummy pauses for a moment, obviously confused as to why I got rid of my weapon. He regains his composure quickly, though, and swings his axe hard at my head. Right at the last second, I duck, and the axe thuds into the wall. It gets stuck, so the dummy is forced to turn his full attention to yanking it out. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't realize the stupidity of this decision. I quickly pick up my axe and send it right into his stomach. He collapses to the ground and moves no more.

For the remainder of my session, I show the Gamemakers my long-range weaponry skills by launching axes across the room at the targets. I throw with roughly 95% accuracy, which I'm perfectly happy with. After all, nobody's perfect; that's why the Gamemakers don't award twelves. When my time runs out, the Head Gamemaker dismisses me. I nod in acknowledgement and then turn towards the door. I thought that went pretty well, but that's up to the Gamemakers to decide. I guess I'll find out tonight.

* * *

The Careers (Jade, Tyroarius, and Mileena) have all put up impressive scores. My hope is to match, and maybe even beat, their scores. That'll show Panem that the Career alliance isn't all it's cracked up to be. If they were really the strongest alliance, they'd hold all the top scores, not just some of them. At last, a picture of my face pops on to the television. "From District Four, Micah Islen with a score of ten." _Yes!_ I pump my fist into the air. I just tied the highest score of the night! I bet Tyroarius isn't happy. He'll definitely be gunning for me in the arena, but it doesn't matter. If everything goes as planned, Jade, Cole, Sable and I will take him out right as he's starting to get comfortable.

 **Bebe Cora (D4 F 17)**

Once my name is called, I jump out of my seat and step into the training center. I've got a plan for what I'm going to do, but it's definitely out of the ordinary, so I'm not sure if the Gamemakers will appreciate it or not. I'm taking a risk here, and I hope it'll pay off. I walk over to the weapons rack and pull out a sword. This first part of my session will sort of be my safety blanket, just in case the Gamemakers don't like the second half. I grab a combat dummy, drag it to the center of the room, set it to level seven, and begin. Unfortunately, I'm not as talented as most Careers are with weapons, but I'm still above average. Just over five minutes later, the dummy thuds to the ground, my sword stuck through his stomach. I pull out the sword and place it back in the weapons rack. I then walk over to the middle of the room. Standing right in front of the Gamemakers, I begin part two of my session.

"So, you guys have seen my physical skills, but I want to take some time to show you my mental skills as well. Historically, Careers are physically strong but mentally weak, and that weakness often ends up being their downfall. That's why I want to prove to you that I've got the mental capacity to win the Games. I can read people like a book, which is sure to come in handy. Over the past few days, I've been studying my fellow tributes, carefully learning their strengths and weaknesses. Today, I want to share those weaknesses with you. This will show you that I can win the Games because I know nearly every single tribute's fatal flaw. Once I capitalize on those fatal flaws, the victor's crown will be mine. Also, I think this knowledge will come into handy for you, the Gamemakers. It'll be easy to send a mutt after a tribute if you know exactly what weakens them the most."

I pause for a moment and see that some of the Gamemakers look mildly impressed. I take a deep breath and resume speaking. "Let's start with my fellow Careers. Since they all trust me, figuring out their flaws was a piece of cake. Jade Platinum, District One: her flaw is her heart. She's trying to put on a brave face, but deep down, she hates killing and won't do it unless it's absolutely necessary. She's also terrified of mutts. Mileena Nero, District Two: she won't ever let anyone tell her what to do. She's very cocky and doesn't have the smarts to win. Tyroarius Stryker, District Two: he also can't stand it when other people are in charge. He may be exceptionally strong, but he's a huge target, so that'll draw attention to him from all the other tributes. Everyone will want him dead. He's also pretty slow."

For the remainder of my session, I talk about the rest of the tributes until the time runs out. I start with the biggest threats and work my way down until the Head Gamemaker dismisses me. A few of the Gamemaker seemed interested by what I had to say, but I don't think all of them were impressed. If anything, I hope they use the information I gave them to send mutts or other obstacles after the other tributes. Even that would be an advantage for me.

* * *

Micah's ten flashes onto the screen, and I feel a pang of disappointment. He just showed the Career alliance up with that score; now he's tied with Tyroarius for the highest score of the night. My picture appears next, and I cross my fingers. "Bebe Cora with a score of eight." I breathe a sigh of relief. I'm perfectly happy with a eight. It may not be the best score, but it's high enough to keep me in the Career alliance. Besides, it could help me fly under the radar; I won't be marked as a threat. Not only that, but the Gamemakers also now have a bunch of useful information to use during the Games.

 **School finally ended this week (yay)! This means I should have plenty more time to write. Now, compared to previous summers, I am going to be a bit busier because I have my drivers test in a few weeks, a bunch of summer assignments for an English AP course that I'm taking next school year, and some SAT prep to work on. However, despite all of those, now that school's over, I'll have eight extra hours per day to do whatever I want, so finding writing time won't be as much of an issue as it was during the school year.**

 **The next two chapters will wrap up the private training sessions. Then, we'll have the interviews, but I'm only going to dedicate one short chapter to those because (a) I feel like I've bored everyone enough with all this pre-Games stuff and (b) I'm sure everyone's just as excited as I am to finally get to the Games. I can't promise when the next chapter will be up, but I'm hoping to finish it within just a few days.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	15. Private Sessions: Districts Five- Eight

**Private Training Sessions (Part Two):**

 **Jerry Porch (D5 M 15)**

"Jerry Porch, please report to the training center for your private training session." I sigh and stand up. These private training sessions are so stupid. I don't see the point to them. It doesn't matter what you do before the Games; it only matters what you do during the Games. My dad only scored a seven during training, and he defeated Careers with nines and tens on their record. I enter the training center and look up at the Gamemakers. They look very excited to see me. I mean, I am the only tribute with victor's blood running through my veins, so I get it. "Jerry Porch, you've got fifteen minutes to show us what you got," the Head Gamemaker says. "Your time starts now."

I stroll over to one of the weapons racks, and take a handful of throwing knives. Everyone knows that the key to the Gamemakers' hearts is weaponry. You could be absolutely dismal at weapons and still score a six or seven just because the Gamemakers appreciate weapons so much. I'm really good at throwing knives, so I'm thinking I'll get about a ten. Lindroz, my ally, told me he's counting on me to score high for our alliance, so I won't let him down. Poor Lindroz, he doesn't have my good looks or fantastic weaponry skills, but I have to say, I've grown to like him. He reminds me of the boys I used to hang out with back at home. Lindroz basically idolizes me (probably because of my victor's blood) so it's nice to have someone on my side who will give me the confidence to win the Games.

Out of my first twenty throws, twelve hit the bullseye. I think that's about eighty percent, so I'm happy with that. I continue throwing in rounds of twenty. The second time, I hit ten bullseyes, the third time, I hit twelve again, the fourth time, I hit nine, and the fifth time, I hit seven. I think that's pretty good. The Gamemakers should be impressed with my skills. And even if they aren't, just the fact that I'm a victor's son should boost my score up a point or two. The Head Gamemaker tells me to leave, so I flash my dazzling smile at them and then head out the door.

* * *

The scores have been fairly impressive so far. Then again, the Career districts always score the best, so the scores will surely start get worse as it moves to the outer districts. However, for now, I plan to keep the good score streak going. "From District Five, Jerry Porch with a score of five." What? A five? I can't have gotten a five! I deserve at least triple that score! I stand up and knock the coffee table over in anger. Maybe if the stupid Gamemakers saw that, they'd have given me a higher score for my strength.

 **Claire Bureau (D5 F 18)**

"Claire Bureau, please report to the training center for your private training session." I bite my lip and stand up. I'm nervous for my session, mainly because I know I won't score high. My weapons skills are laughable, so I've decided to just stick with survival skills. The Gamemakers never award high scores to tributes who do just survival scores, but unfortunately, it's the only thing I'm good at. I enter the training center and stare up at the balcony of Gamemakers. "Claire Bureau, you have fifteen minutes to impress us," the Head Gamemaker announces. "Your time starts now."

I walk over to the berry identification test first. After taking a few minutes to sort the berries into their respective poisonous and edible piles, my score pops up: a 95%. Satisfied with that, I visit the trap making station, where I assemble two snares that are sure to catch me food in the arena. Next, I move on to my favorite station: camouflage. For the second time today, I paint my arms into a mossy green color that blends in with the fake tree that's set up near the station. It's mostly just an excuse for my artistic side to show, but you never know; camouflage could come in handy in the arena.

Once I'm satisfied with my camouflage, I wipe the moss off of my hands and head over to the survival skills test. I take a deep breath. I need to earn a good grade here if I want to receive a decent score. I start answering the questions, and before I know it, the test ends and my score appears for all the Gamemakers to see: another 95%. Well, I had hoped for a perfect score, but I'll take that. The Head Gamemaker dismisses me, and I exit the training center, hoping I did well enough to earn something respectable.

* * *

Jerry has a temper tantrum when his score appears onscreen. He flips the coffee table and then stomps off to his room. Although a five isn't a terrible score, I'm sure Jerry assumed that he'd get something much higher. Well, serves him right for being so overconfident. My heart beats quickly as Tristan Honeybee prepares to announce my score. "Claire Bureau, with a score of five." I lean back into my chair and sigh. I'm okay with a five. Unlike Jerry, I understand that I'm simply not as skilled as many of the other tributes. I worked as hard as I could and tried my best, so I'm pretty content with a five.

 **Cole Frye (D6 M 17)**

"Cole Frye, please report to the training center for your private training session."

"Good luck," Sable grunts. I shrug in reply and then make my way over to the training center doors. I don't think I've ever been this nervous in my life- except maybe during the reapings. Sable and I have talked about it many times, and we've determined that it's crucial for us to both earn high scores today. If we even want a shot at overpowering the Careers, we're going to need the support of sponsors to fuel our efforts. I enter the training center and look up at the panel of Gamemakers. Adameus Fletcher stands up, tells me that I have fifteen minutes, and invites me to begin. I nod at the Gamemakers and then get straight to work.

I first show the Gamemakers the weapon that I've recently become half-decent with: the mace. I line up half a dozen dummies and swing the spiked ball at the end of the mace at them. A few minutes later, nothing remains but some shreds of fabric littering the floor. Next, I walk over to the weight rack and pull out a few of the heaviest weights. For the remainder of my session, I throw the weights around the room. I'm hoping that the Gamemakers will be impressed by my strength. They should be, considering that I'm from District Six and never even threw around weights until this week. I'm not trying to sound arrogant, but I know I have a much better chance of survival than other District Six tributes in previous years. The Gamemakers should appreciate that. "You may go," Adameus tells me when my time runs out. I thank the Gamemakers and then make my way out of the training center.

* * *

I sit on the couch next to Lexi and wait for my score. I thought I did very well, but I don't know how my performance compares to the Careers and other strong tributes. A picture of my face appears on the television screen. "District Six, Cole Frye with a score of eight." The room applauds me and I pump my fist into the air. An eight is an excellent score! It's a Career score! This is fantastic! This should get Sable and I plenty of sponsors, especially if he scores high too.

 **Lexi Honda (D6 F 15)**

My name is announced over the loudspeaker, so I stand up and say goodbye to Muna. "Good luck," she wishes me. "You've got this." I smile at her and then walk over to the training center doors. I stop and take a deep breath before stepping in. My goal is to earn myself a high outer-district score. Being realistic, I haven't trained like the Careers have, but I have been using my hand-to-hand combat skills most of my life. As long as I get a six or seven, I'll be happy.

As soon as I enter the training center, the Head Gamemaker says, "Lexi Honda, you've got fifteen minutes to show us your skills. Your time starts now." I nod in acknowledgement and then walk over to the corner and pull out a combat dummy. I set it to hand-to-hand combat, level eight. I made the mistake of setting it to level nine yesterday, and I nearly died, so I'm going to play it somewhat safe with level eight. However, I've only managed to defeat the level seven dummy, so I'm taking a bit of a risk with level eight. I'm hoping it'll pay off, but if it doesn't, at least I'll know I tried.

I hit the "start" button and the dummy springs to life. As I try to punch and dodge the dummy, I'm reminded of my time back in District Six. I used to get into lots of fights because I can't stand to let people say whatever they want about me. I'd always stand up for myself, so whenever someone provoked me, I'd teach him or her a lesson with my fists. During training, one of the trainers worked with me to fine tune my skills and get rid of some bad habits. I have to say, I think I've improved tremendously- or, at least enough to defeat the level eight dummy.

The fight takes almost the whole fifteen minutes. Finally, I manage to pin the dummy to the ground and punch the lights out of it. It stops moving and I claim my victory. Looking up at the clock, I see that I have a minute left, but I don't have anything else to show the Gamemakers. I kind of just stare at the Gamemakers for a few minutes until the Head Gamemaker says, "Yes, you may go." I turn around and walk out the door, proud of myself for defeating that dummy. The Gamemakers better have been impressed.

* * *

Cole's score of eight appears, and I almost groan. Hopefully, my score isn't too far away from that, or it'll make me look bad. Finally, a picture of my face appears on screen, and Tristan Honeybee opens his mouth. "Alexus Honda with a score of seven." A small smile escapes my lips before I can pull it back. A seven's pretty good, especially for a non-Career. With Valerie's six and my seven, as long as Muna scores well, we should rake in some serious sponsors.

 **Kairen Parker (D7 M 17)**

"Kairen Parker, please report to the training center for your private training session." Trenton wishes me luck as I get up and head for the training center doors. I enter the room and look up at the Gamemakers. Being the District Seven male, I kick off the second half of the private training sessions. "Mr. Parker, you've got fifteen minutes to show us what you've got. Your time starts now."

I've decided to start off my showing the Gamemakers my agility. Being a thief has taught me to be stealthy and light on my feet, a skill that should come in handy when I need to forage for food or spy on other tributes. I step up to the agility course, slap the buzzer, and begin. As I race through the course, I think of the leader board, which has the top five times displayed for everyone to see. During training, I got myself the fourth fastest time, but it's not exactly accurate I didn't go all out during training because I didn't want the other tributes to know how quick and agile I am.

Once I've finished the course, I sprint to the finish line and slap the second buzzer. My time flashes on a screen above the course. I was a whole twelve seconds faster than the number one time on the leader board! As long as no one from the first six districts ran the course faster during their private training session, I have the number one time for this year! As soon as my excitement starts to diminish, I jog over to the weapons rack and pull out an axe and a knife. These are the two weapons I focused on learning during training. Because I'm from District Seven, I've used axes a few times before. Over these past three days, all I've had to learn is how to kill with one. I also learned how to use a knife, which is a weapon that compliments my speed quite well. If I come into the situation where I need to kill someone, I could end it with just one quick jab to the heart.

I fight with the combat dummies to show the Gamemakers my weapons skills. I first defeat a level six, axe-fighting dummy. I considered fighting a level seven, but I don't want to risk losing to it. I'd rather play it safe and get the definite points. Next, I defeat a level six, knife-wielding dummy in a matter of seconds. I simply catch him off-guard with a fake to the left, and when he lunges away, he's in perfect position for me to jab my knife right through his heart. Once the dummy is lying on the ground, motionless, I look up at the Gamemakers. I've got about a minute left, but there's nothing else I want to show them. "You may leave," the Head Gamemaker tells me, so I do.

* * *

The scores have been very impressive so far, so I'm worried that my score won't compare well to them. I guess that's what happens every year, though. The real bad scores don't usually happen until about District Eight (excluding District Three of course, but for whatever reason, they weren't terrible this year). The tv program returns from its intermission to announce the second half of the scores. "And now from District Seven," Tristan Honeybee begins, "Kairen Parker, with a score of seven." Yes! I can definitely work with that. A seven's a great score for someone who's never trained.

 **Cleo Amorite (D7 F 17)**

"Cleo Amorite, please report to the training center for your private training session." I stand up from my chair and begin my slow walk towards the training center doors. Although my expression remains calm, on the inside, I'm a bit nervous. I know I can do this, though. Since I'm a climber, I'm stronger than many of the tributes here. I've also picked up a few new skills during training. I plan to show almost all of those skills during my session. If I stay calm and do my best, I think I could walk away with a half-decent score.

I enter the training center and peer up at the panel of Gamemakers sitting on the balcony. "Miss Amorite," the Head Gamemaker announces in a formal voice, "you have fifteen minutes to impress us with your skills. Your time starts now." I nod in acknowledgment and then walk over to the climbing wall. I throw on a harness, hit the green buzzer, and start my ascent. As I make my way up the wall, I'm reminded of my time back in District Seven when I'd climb trees quite often. It allowed me to escape from all the troubles I had at home and just enjoy being high up in the trees. When I reach the top I slap the red buzzer and look up at my time. I just beat the top time from training by two seconds! I haven't tried this wall yet because I've been trying to hide my skills from the other tributes. Even though I haven't practiced it at all, it seems my background in climbing was enough to snag the top time.

Once I'm back on the ground, I grab some tomahawks off of the weapons rack and take twenty throws at the targets. I hit the bullseye fifteen times, which is pretty good considering that I only learned how to use this weapon yesterday. Next, I take the edible berry test at the berry identification station. As soon as I've finished, my score pops up: a 95%. That's isn't bad at all, but I know I could've gotten a perfect score. I decide to finish up my session by engaging in some hand-to-hand combat with a dummy. I grab one out of the corner, set it to level five, and begin fighting.

We fight for a few minutes with none of us gaining the upper hand. After blocking one of the dummy's nicely-placed punches, I glance up at the clock and see that I have less than a minute left. I need to end this quickly, but how? My mind rapidly creates a plan, and although it's not a great one, it seems I'll have to go with it. I need to beat this dummy before my time runs out. As the dummy tries to swing another punch at me, I dodge it by diving under the dummy's legs. Thankfully, the floor is smooth, so I slide all the way through to the other side of the dummy. I quickly stand up as the dummy struggles to find out where I've gone. As it finally turns it head and locates me, I hit it with a strong punch to the jaw. I kick it to the ground until the dummy stops moving, just seconds before my session ends and the Gamemaker tells me to leave.

* * *

Lumiere scored a six, which is very good for our alliance. I'm satisfied with my performance today, and I think it might've been enough to earn myself a seven or an eight. Tristan Honeybee opens his mouth and announces my score. "Cleo Amorite with a score of seven." I smile slightly as my mentor congratulates me. Since I showed the Gamemakers a wide range of skills, I thought I had the potential to get an eight, but I'm fine with a seven. It's an above average score, and it's great for an outer-district tribute.

 **Lindroz Delt (D8 M 16)**

When my name is called over the loudspeaker, I almost consider turning around and walking out the other door. I'm too smart for that, though. I have to show the Gamemakers something, or I'll get a zero and be the laughingstock of all of Panem. I grudgingly enter the training center and look up at the Gamemakers. "Lindroz Delt, you have fifteen minutes to show us your best skills," the Head Gamemaker says. "Your time starts now."

I sigh and walk over to the berry identification station. I start the berry test and get bored very fast. This is so stupid. I'm too smart for this. If only they had an IQ test here. Then, I could let my true skills be known. I zone off a little during the test and mix a few berries up. I end up getting an 75%, but I'm honestly not even that upset. After all, Jerry, my puppet, is going to do all the work for me in the Games. It's his job to get us the sponsors, so it really doesn't matter if I score high.

Next I show of my throwing knife skills. I start off with ten knives; four of them hit the bullseye. I throw a few more rounds of ten and end up being around 45%. Suddenly a fantastic idea comes to me: maybe I should just bomb the rest of my session on purpose. I'm not doing that well, so maybe I should get myself a low score so that I could fly under the radar and then surprise everyone in the end with my intelligence.

I throw twenty more knives before my session ends and hit the bullseye three more times. It stinks that the Gamemakers now think I'm a very untalented tribute, but when I win the Games, they'll know the truth. My time eventually runs out and the Gamemaker tells me I can leave. It's about time. These sessions are so pointless. Without even acknowledging the Gamemakers, I exit the room. I think I'm just going to take a nap until the scores come on. Or, maybe I'll just sleep through the scores. My mentor will tell me what I scored anyway.

* * *

My mentor nudges me awake and tells me my score's coming up soon. I grudgingly climb out of bed and walk into the living room, where Tristan Honeybee is finishing up the District Seven scores. "From District Eight, Lindroz Delt with a score of four." Well, I'm sure it's not the lowest score so far. Also, it's not like I actually tried during my session. This is just another part of my brilliant plan for winning the Hunger Games. And part of that plan involves returning to my bed to continue my nap.

 **Kiyata Merrow (D8 F 17)**

"Kiyata Merrow, please report to the training center for your private training session." I stand up and walk over to the training center doors. I may not be the strongest or most talented tribute out here, but it's okay because I've got a plan. If everything goes smoothly, I should be able to get myself a six or seven. Hopefully, that'll be enough to earn myself the respect of a few sponsors. I walk into the room and the Head Gamemaker, who says in a bored voice, "Miss Merrow, you have fifteen minutes. Begin."

I start off with survival skills. I first take the berry identification test and score a 95%. Next, I show the Gamemakers a variety of knots that I've learned how to tie. From knot tying, I move on to traps and snares. I spend a few minutes creating some intricate traps and then look up at the clock. I have five minutes left. Even though I still have survival skills to show the Gamemakers, I'm running out of time. I need to show the Gamemakers my weapons skills; that's what's going to get me the extra points I need.

For the remainder of my session, I throw poison darts at the targets. Well, they aren't exactly poisonous right now, but they will be in the arena. In the end, about 65% of my darts hit the bullseye. I'm satisfied with that. I've never trained with any sort of weapon until this week, so just the fact that I can throw the darts semi-accurately is okay with me. "You may go," the Head Gamemaker announces when my time expires. I smile and exit the room.

* * *

I roll my eyes as Lindroz disappears back to his room. He's one of the laziest people I've ever met. Also, he's got such a high opinion of himself and his intelligence. Well, he'll get a reality check once we enter the arena. My headshot appears onscreen once Lindroz's disappears. "Kiyata Merrow with a score of five." I frown. I was really hoping for a six or seven, but oh well. The real test is the arena, and I've already got a plan for that.

 **Only two more chapters before the Games start!**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	16. Private Sessions: Districts Nine- Twelve

**Private Training Sessions (Part Three):**

 **Logan Clark (D9 M 16)**

"Logan Clark, please report to the training center for your private training session." I jump to my feet and nearly sprint over to the training center doors. This is it. This is my chance to invoke fear in the minds of my fellow tributes. All I have to do is get a high score. I'll make them fear the unusual boy from District Nine. I'll make the Careers sorry that they refused to have me as an ally by scoring higher than them. Then, they'll know that I'm strong, talented, and capable of ending their lives.

"Logan Clark, you've got fifteen minutes to show us your skills," the Head Gamemaker tells me. "Your time starts now." I grab a sickle off the weapons rack. Even though I never had to work in the grain fields of District Nine, I did a few times when I was bored. The only thing the trainers had to teach me was how to use a sickle to kill instead of to harvest grain. I drag three immobile dummies out to the center of the room. I prop the dummies up and get straight to work. I tear apart all three dummies until they're just shreds of fabric covering the ground. When I imagine that they're my fellow tributes, the task becomes even more fun.

After that, I decide to test my skills with a combat dummy, set on level seven. Although I've never fought against anything moving yet, it comes pretty easily to me. It's just like using a immobile dummy, except you have to incorporate defense as well as offense in your fight. You have to block your opponent's attacks while counteracting them with attacks of your own Just seconds before my time runs out, the dummy falls to the ground with my sickle through his chest. "You may go," the Head Gamemaker tells me, and I immediately exit the room.

I can't wait for my score to be announced. I had a great session, and I'm sure I scored at least a ten. I wish I could see the Careers' faces right now. They'll definitely do a double take when they see how good I really am. "From District Nine, Logan Clark with a score of eight." Eight? That's ridiculous! I deserve a ten or more! Stupid Gamemakers! I guess they don't recognize true talent when they see it! I'll make them pay. Just wait until they see what I'm going to do in the arena. They'll forever rue the day when they awarded me an eight.

 **Circe Fog (D9 F 16)**

I gaze into my crystal ball as the black and purple mists swirl around and around. I've been gazing into it many times over the past few days, but all of my visions regarding the private training sessions have been kind of hazy. I enter the training center after my name is called and gaze up at the Gamemakers. "Miss Fog," one of them says, "you have fifteen minutes to showcase your skills. Your time starts now."

I find myself gliding over to the berry station. How could I show my skills at this station? Suddenly, the answer comes to me. I sort through the berries and pull out three different kinds. I need to heat these. I jog over to the fire starting station, start a fire with some flint, place my berries in a pot, and stir them- three times clockwise, seven times counterclockwise, and then three more times clockwise. I put out the fire, let my mixture cool, and then pour it into a glass vial that I find at the berry station. I walk over to the Gamemakers and hold up the vial. "This is a simple, yet powerful, poison knows as Silktershine. This was one of the first potions my mother taught me how to brew. When drunk, the effects start in about thirty seconds. First, the esophagus swells, causing immense pain and blocking off the airway. The victim's face turns a splotchy purple color, and he dies seconds later, from both poison and suffocation."

One of the Gamemaker snorts. "How do we know this mixture really does that? It's not like you can demonstrate on yourself."

"Would you like to demonstrate?" I ask him.

"I'll get an avox," the Head Gamemaker says before the other one can respond. Seconds later, an avox, escorted by two Peacekeepers, enters the room. Before I can stop them, the Peacekeepers grab the vial out of my hand and shove the liquid down the poor man's throat. Thirty seconds later, the effects start to take place, exactly as I described them. As the Peacekeepers drag the corpse out of the room, I pray that the spirits bring peace to the man. I look up at the clock. I still have a bit of time left in my session, but I'm not exactly sure what to do. I stand in the center of the room and look up at the Gamemakers. Without any thought, words suddenly begin to flow out of my mouth.

 _"Twenty-four will compete, twenty-three will die, twenty-two will have fear, twenty-one won't fly. Twenty won't start with the best of them all, nineteen at the hands of another will fall. Eighteen never had a more crucial friend, seventeen will live after they signal the end. Sixteen will see the night sky, fifteen will start to cry. Fourteen will greet the luckiest day, thirteen will score luck in a different way. Twelve will climb, eleven will ride, ten will be hunters, and nine flee the hillside. Eight will do a deed that can't be undone, seven will never once see the sun. Six will enter the arena solo, five will feast under the full moon's glow. Four will die in an unusual way, three will reach the final day. Two will fight it out to the end, the cannon will sound and hovercrafts will descend. And one is different from all of the rest. He'll think he's succeeded until his last breath."_ Without a moment's hesitation, I turn around and exit the training center.

My crystal ball unfortunately won't tell me what score I got, but that's okay because Tristan Honeybee has reached District Nine and is about to announce my score. "Circe Fog with a score of five." That's an okay score, but I would have liked to score a lucky number: either a three or a seven. At least these scores don't mean much. That must be why my crystal ball has been so secretive about the private training sessions.

 **Sable Maren (D10 M 18)**

"Sable Maren, please report to the training center for your private training session." Let's do this. I walk towards the training center doors. Ever since Cole got called in, I've been sitting in here alone with nothing to do, so I'm very happy that my time has finally come. It's crucial that I score high here to rake in the sponsorship points for me and Cole. If we want any chance at defeating the Careers, we'll need some help from sponsors. We need to prove to the sponsors that we're strong enough to rival the Careers. "Sable Maren," Adameus Fletcher announces as soon as I enter the training center, "you've got fifteen minutes to show us what you've got. Your time starts now."

I begin rummaging through the weapons bin as I try to find the bowstaff. My mentor said they'd put one in here, and it's kind of an important part of my skill set. Basically, if I want a decent score, I need to locate this bowstaff. A few seconds later, I finally spot it. I pull it out of the bin and examine it; it's a little lighter than the one I used at home to ward off hungry wolves and poachers, but I'll make it work. Now, how am I going to show my bowstaff skills to the Gamemakers? I look over at the combat dummies sitting in the corner and come up with an idea. I prop up three of the dummies and set them to level eight, knife fighting. As soon as I've activated them, I sprint to the other side of the room and await their approach.

The dummies spot me moving and do some sort of limp/jog thing to reach me. Once they're within range, I attack. About a year ago, I got into a fight with three poachers wielding knives. They certainly weren't as skilled as these dummies, and I defeated them without much difficulty. It takes me a bit longer to defeat the dummies, but I get the job done eventually. In a few minutes, all three dummies lie on the ground, motionless. Without a moment's hesitation, I jog over to the basic survival skills test. I want to show the Gamemakers I have the physical and mental skills to win the Games. After answering all the questions, I get a 95%. I'm perfectly happy with that.

I finish up my session with weight throwing. I chuck some of the heaviest weights I can find across the room as the Gamemakers look on in awe. I do this until my time runs out; the Head Gamemaker looks at me and says, "You are dismissed." I nod in acknowledgement and then exit the training center. I feel good about my performance, but I'm worried about how my score will compare to the Careers' scores. I need to show the sponsors that I'm just as good as (if not, better than) the Careers.

Cole got an eight, which is an excellent score. Now, the pressure's on me to put up another good score. I'll be happy with a seven or an eight, but I'm hoping for something even a little better. "And now to District Ten, Sable Maren with a score of nine." I pump my fist in the air and my mentor claps me on the back. I can't believe I got a nine! That's a fantastic score! I hope I've attracted the eyes of some sponsors, and more importantly, I hope I made my family proud.

 **Muna Taylor (D10 F 15)**

"Muna Taylor, please report to the training center for your private training session." I'm really getting tired of that monotonous voice echoing throughout the lunch room. At least that's the last time I'll have to hear it. I stand up and walk over to the training center doors. I have a bunch of skills that I'd like to show the Gamemakers, so I'm going to use every single second of my session to my advantage. Although I'm not particularly amazing at any of the skills, I'm hoping that the combination of all my decent skills will be enough to get me a decent score. "Miss Taylor, you've got fifteen minutes to show us what you've got. Begin."

I warm up with some survival skills stations. I do both the basic survival skills test and the berry identification test and get a 90% on each. Then, start a fire with a piece of flint, and then twist some rope into a snare. Next, it's on to my weapons skills. I throw ten knives at the targets and seven hit the bullseye. Seventy percent is pretty good for me. I then fire ten arrows and get six to hit the bullseye. That's still okay. I place the bow back on the rack and move to the final stage of my session.

I grab a combat dummy out of the corner and drag it to the center of the room. I set it to level six, knife fighting, and begin the match. For the majority of the fight, we're pretty even. However, with just seconds left in my session, I knock the dummy's knife out of his hand. I stab him in the heart and he falls to the ground. "You may leave," the Head Gamemaker announces as my time expires. I drop my knife and head out of the door.

Valerie scored a six and Lexi scored a seven, which are both decent scores. If I had to guess, I'd say my score will probably match one of theirs. I'm praying I'll get a seven. Even though she is my ally, I really want to score higher than Valerie. Her sarcastic sense of humor has really gotten on my nerves lately. "Muna Taylor with a score of seven." Awesome. For an untrained, fifteen-year-old girl, I'll take that score any day.

 **Spud Wyllows (D11 M 14)**

I'm so nervous, I think I could pee myself. "Spud Wyllows, please report to the training center for your private training session." I carefully stand up and make my way over to the training center doors. I'm shaking from head to toe. Hopefully, the Gamemakers won't notice my nervousness. I enter the room and look up at the Gamemakers. "Spud Wyllows," one of them begins, "you've got fifteen minutes to show us your talents. Your time starts now."

The Gamemaker stops talking and I freeze up. What are my talents? I look around the room and spot a rack of weights. Maybe I could throw some of those around. I walk over and decide to start with the smallest one. However, when I try to lift it, it won't budge. I use all of my strength but I can't get the weight off the rack. Oops. I guess weight throwing isn't for me. I stare up at the Gamemakers, who all have disapproving looks on their faces. This is not going well.

I need to come up with something else to do fast. Otherwise, I'll get the worst score of the day. My mentor told me to use my strengths, but what are my strengths? I think about it for a few seconds. Suddenly, the answer comes to me: apples! I know tons of stuff about apples! I've been working in the orchards my whole life! I turn to the Gamemakers and begin speaking. "Did you know that there are 2,500 different kinds of apples in Panem? Some of the most common are Red Delicious, Gala, Granny Smith..."

I really hope I impressed the Gamemakers with my amazing knowledge of apples. They didn't even make me stay for the whole fifteen minutes! After a few minutes, the Head Gamemaker told me that he'd seen enough, which must mean that he was so impressed that he already knew he was going to give me a fantastic score. A picture of my face appears on the television screen. "From District Eleven, Spud Wyllows with a score of two." I burst into tears.

 **Jasmine Kingston (D11 F 12)**

"Jasmine Kingston, please report to the training center for your private training session." It's about time! It's been so boring, just sitting here as tributes are called in at roughly twenty minute intervals. To pass the time, I've been braiding my hair in multiple different styles, and it's starting to get real old. My fingers are so overworked, they feel like they're going to fall off, which probably isn't good considering that I'm about to begin my private training session.

I enter the training center and look up at the Gamemakers. They don't seem very eager to watch me perform. Less than half of them actually have their eyes on me, and I think one or two of them may be sleeping. "Jasmine Kingston," the Head Gamemaker begins. Unlike the others, he's watching me like a hawk. "You've got fifteen minutes to show us your best skills. Your time starts now." I immediately walk over to the fire-making station. I've spent a lot of time here over the past few days, so I should be able to get a good fire going. I spend about a minute laying my fire, and then the real test begins.

I grab a piece of flint and begin striking it. A few sparks shoot out, but there's nothing substantial enough to light my fire. After trying for a minute with no success, I chuck the flint onto the ground and grab a box of matches. I break the first match in half when I try to strike it. The second one, I drop on the ground, and the third one splinters. "I give up. This is so stupid," I mumble to myself. I slam the box of matches onto the ground and storm out of the training center.

Spud is such a freaking crybaby. He started bawling as soon as his score was announced, and I don't think he plans on stopping. His mentor is trying to calm him down so that we can hear my score, but honestly, it's probably best that he keeps crying. My score's going to be awful, but at this point, I don't even care. I'm going to die in the arena either way, so why does it matter how terrible the Gamemakers think I am? "Jasmine Kingston with a score of two." Well, I guess all of Panem now knows it: the Games haven't even started and I'm already dead.

 **Trenton Stewart (D12 M 17)**

It stinks, being from District Twelve. Not only do I have to sit here for hours and hours with nothing to do, but also I have to stay trapped in a room with Mindi for the twenty longest minutes of my life. It blows my mind that she's so unaware of how terrible of a person she really is. Maybe it's because I grew up in a house of boys, but I don't understand this girl at all. When my name is announced over the loudspeaker, I jump out of my seat and nearly sprint to the door. It takes all of my self control to stop myself from shouting, "Later loser!" as I pass Mindi and exit the room.

I walk into the training center and meet the gaze of the Head Gamemaker. He's pretty much the only one paying attention to me, but I don't take it to heart. "Trenton Stewart, you have fifteen minutes to show us what you've got. Your time starts now." Without a moment's hesitation, I begin walking over to the corner where the combat dummies are located. There's only one thing I want to show the Gamemakers, and that's my wrestling skills. With four older brothers to fight with, I've been wrestling with them for as long as I can remember. It's really the only thing that I'm good at, but I think it may be enough to earn me an okay score.

I grab a dummy and flip through the different combat modes. I nearly smile in relief when I discover that there is a wrestling mode. I set it to level eight, get into my stance, and start the first match. The dummy and I twist and roll around until I manage to pin him about two minutes later. He gets back up and we begin the second match. This time, the dummy pins me. The third match begins, and I know it's crucial to win this one. It's by far the longest match, but eventually, I gain the upper hand. I pin the dummy to the ground, count to ten, and claim my victory. There's a bit of time left in my session, but there's nothing else I want to show the Gamemakers. The Head Gamemaker dismisses me and I exit the room.

I say nothing when both District Eleven tributes put up a score of two. I feel bad for them, but I can't worry about that when the Games are so close. A picture of my face appears on the screen, and I hold my breath. "From District Twelve, Trenton Stewart with a score of seven." Alright; a seven's an okay score. Kairen got a seven too, so the combination of the scores should be beneficial to our alliance.

 **Mindi Hostler (D12 F 17)**

I am _soooo_ bored. I'm the only tribute left in the lunch room. Why do _I_ have to be last? There's absolutely _nothing_ to do in here! "Mindi Hostler, please report to the training center for your private training session." It's about time! I strut into the training center and look up at the Gamemakers. "Mindi Hostler," one of them (a particularly ugly one) says. "You've got fifteen minutes. Begin."

I walk over towards the Gamemakers and notice that none of them are paying attention to me (well, except the ugly one). " _Hey!_ " I shout up at the Gamemakers. "Why aren't you paying attention to me?" I flash them a stunning smile, trying to impress them with my beauty. Maybe they'll pay attention once they look up and see how pretty I am. Two or three of them look up, but most of them continue chatting with each other. " _Hey!_ " I shout again, as loud as I can. "Pay _attention_ to me! I'm trying to show you guys what I can do!"

The ugly one sighs. "Just get on with it," he says. I roll my eyes at him and walk over to weapons bin. I grab ten throwing knives, stand behind the line, and throw all ten knives at the target. Four of them hit the bullseye. I throw ten more and three hit the bullseye. I look up at the Gamemakers and see that once again, the ugly one's the only one paying attention to me. "That's _it_!" I shout. If you guys aren't going to pay attention to me, I'm going to leave! I stomp out of the training center and slam the door behind me.

My mentor is _astounded_ by what I did during my training session. I've told her a million times: it _wasn't_ my fault. If the idiotic Gamemakers had actually paid attention to me, I wouldn't have had to storm out of there. A picture of my face appears on the screen. I cringe; it's certainly not one of my most flattering headshots. "And finally, Mindi Hostler with a score of three." _Ugh_! Stupid Gamemakers! Do they not know that my mother, Mia Hostler, is the _biggest_ fashion icon in all of Panem? They must not, or they wouldn't have given me _such_ a low score.

 **Training Scores:**

Lumiere Rutherford: **6**

Jade Platinum: **9**

Tyroarius Stryker: **10**

Mileena Nero: **9**

Jazper Hart: **5**

Valerie Plasma: **6**

Micah Islen: **10**

Bebe Cora: **8**

Jerry Porch: **5**

Claire Bureau: **5**

Cole Frye: **8**

Lexi Honda: **7**

Kairen Parker: **7**

Cleo Amorite: **7**

Lindroz Delt: **4**

Kiyata Merrow: **5**

Logan Clark: **8**

Circe Fog: **5**

Sable Maren: **9**

Muna Taylor: **7**

Spud Wyllows: **2**

Jasmine Kingston: **2**

Trenton Stewart: **7**

Mindi Hostler: **3**

 **Woah I'm actually so surprised that I was able to write and post this chapter so fast. I think four days is a new record for me. For some reason, I was just able to find lots of writing time over the past few days. Please don't expect future chapters to be posted this quickly because I know for a fact that they won't be.**

 **A new poll is up, so please vote! We're only two chapters away from the bloodbath, and I still haven't made my final decision on who's going to die. So, go vote to save your favorite tributes!**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	17. The Interviews

**The Interviews:**

 **Tristan Honeybee**

I straighten my black tie one last time as the cameramen finish testing their equipment. There's exactly thirty seconds until we go live to all of Panem. Thankfully, everything seems to be running smoothly. The tributes are all in position backstage; the light, sound, and camera systems are good to go; and the crowd has quieted down. I hear Adameus Fletcher's voice in my earpiece as I fix my gold sequined suit. "We go live in ten seconds. Are you all set, Tristan?"

I smile. "Of course," I reply.

"Great," Adameus says. "Cameras are on you. We're live in three, two one..."

"Welcome, Panem, to the interviews for the 127th Hunger Games! I'm your host, Tristan Honeybee, coming to you all the way from the Capitol! Tonight, we will be speaking with all twenty-four tributes, just hours away from the start of the Games, as they prepare to enter the arena. I'm sure you're all just as excited to meet these twenty-four charming young men and women, so let's get straight to it. From District One, let's give a warm welcome to Jade Platinum!"

Jade steps onstage in a green dress that looks like it's the color- well, jade. After making a few jokes about the correlation between her name and her choice of dress color, I ask her about her family. She says her parents are both hard workers in the diamond mines, and she hopes that she can win them the money they deserve. When I ask her about the upcoming Games, Jade says she's got a plan for the arena. She seems confident but not cocky (like most Careers). Overall, Jade is a very likeable girl, and I think the audience agrees with me. She's definitely got potential.

Next I welcome out Jade's district partner, Lumiere Rutherford. Lumiere is certainly not your average District One male. He's skinny and scrawny, and he doesn't look like he could hang with the Careers at all. For some reason, he refuses to give me a straight answer on any of my questions. I ask him about his training score of six, his plans for the arena, who he's allied with; he responds with statements like, "I don't want to give away too much," and "you'll see in the arena." I can tell he's trying to be mysterious, but it's not really working for him. I've seen a few Careers pull of the mysterious angle, but they all had about a hundred pounds on him. To be honest, the only thing this kid has going for him is his fairly good looks.

Next up is Mileena Nero of District Two, looking stunning in a strapless, gold, sequined dress. She's wearing dog tags around her wrists, which she tells me belonged to her father. He died when she was thirteen; that year, she decided she would use the dog tags as her district token when she volunteered. Mileena seems confident about going into the arena tomorrow, and I can tell she's a strong tribute. When asked about her allies, she says she's basically the leader of Career alliance. She says the Careers will be very strong this year; like always, they'll be the top dogs out there.

After Mileena's buzzer rings, I welcome Tyroarius Stryker onstage. He immediately makes it clear that he is the leader of the Careers and not Mileena. He says he plans to be a huge powerhouse and will take the Games by storm, just like Mason Riley did last year. I certainly believe it; he did tie for the highest training score, and just by looking at him, I can tell he'll be able to muscle his way out of whatever obstacle is thrown at him. I'm able to coax out some emotion out of him when I ask about his loved ones. He clearly loves his family very much and even has a photo of them as his district token. He also says he really misses his girlfriend, and he's counting down the days until his return to her.

District Three's Valerie Plasma steps onstage next. I quickly discover that she's got an interesting sense of humor. She's very witty and sarcastic, and although some people will probably find it annoying I think she's hilarious. The audience seems to agree; they fall into hysterics on her remark about how she feels about going into the arena with the twenty-three other tributes. "I'm feeling just peachy about it, Tristan! You know, there is the half-of-us-will-probably-be-dead-by-tomorrow-evening thing. But, ignoring that, I'm sure the twenty-four of us will have a grand old time. We'll gather around the cornucopia, play some games- maybe I could get a game of strip poker going! I'm sure the audience would love that!"

Unfortunately, Valerie's district partner, Jazper Hart, is nowhere near as interesting as Valerie. It's not a shocker; I've learned not to expect much from scrawny, thirteen-year-old boys like him. I can tell that Jazper's intelligent, but that seems to be the only thing he's got going for him. He's clearly a momma's boy. When I ask him about his family he says a little about his father and older sister, but he can't stop talking about his mother. Apparently, Jazper has a deep love for poetry, and that love came from his mother. She's a poet herself and taught him everything she knows. It's a sweet story, but I don't think poetry will help him out much in the arena.

Bebe Cora appears onstage next in a spunky, rainbow splattered dress that matches her hair. Bebe might be the most intelligent tribute I've ever spoken to. She says her favorite thing is the technology; she talks for a while about some of the latest advancements and inventions, and most of her words fly right over my head. However, intelligence only gets you so far. She's very small for a Career, and she only scored an eight in training, which isn't too good for someone who's been training her whole life. I ask her if she thinks her small stature will be an issue in the arena. She tells me that people have underestimated her her whole life because of her size. She says she may not be the strongest tribute out there, but she believes she is the smartest. She's not a typical Career, but she hopes to inspire smart girls like her by showing them that brains always conquer brawn.

After Bebe's buzzer rings, Micah Islen joins me onstage. He's the other one who scored a ten in training, so he must be a strong tribute. However, I've heard rumors that he's not allying with the Careers, and I'm curious to know if they're true. He confirms the rumors, saying that he's never been a fan of the Career alliance and that he thinks he'll be better on his own. As the interview progresses, I discover that he's smarter than I originally assumed. He's also a pretty funny guy, so he scores more points there with the audience. When I ask him how he feels about entering the arena tomorrow, he tells me he's very confident. He says he's got a plan, and he thinks that plan may be able to carry him to victory.

I greet Claire Bureau of District Five onstage next, wearing a shimmering, turquoise ballgown with silver accents. Like a few of the previous tributes, I can tell that Claire is intelligent. Unlike them, though, her problem will be her complete lack of brawn. During the course of her interview, I discover that Claire is very sweet and bubbly. She clearly has a passion for writing; she talks a lot about the newspaper job she had back at home. Overall, Claire's a smart, determined, and sweet tribute, but she really doesn't have a chance in the Games, and I think the audience knows that.

Next up is Jerry Porch, who happens to be the son of Topher Porch, victor of the 102nd Hunger Games. For many people, Jerry's interview has been the most highly-anticipated five minutes of the evening. After welcoming Jerry onstage, I ask him if he thinks having a father as a victor will help or hurt his chances. "Help, of course!" he replies. "My dad taught me all his secrets to winning the Games, so I'm more prepared than anyone." Jerry seems very confident about going into the arena, but he's not very smart, and he's kind of a snob. He thinks very highly of himself, simply because he's got the blood of a victor running through his veins. Well, he'll get a massive reality check when the Games begin. When I ask him about his training score of five, he goes on a long rant about how the Gamemakers are stupid and don't know real talent when they see it. Yep, this kid is dead.

I welcome Alexus Honda onstage next, who immediately asks me to call her Lexi. Lexi is clearly an interesting girl. I ask her what her life was like back home, and she says she and her friends would play truth or dare all the time. She says she was dared once to pierce her belly button, and it's still pierced today. When I jokingly ask if we could see it, she smirks and replies, "Maybe in the arena." Despite the fact that she is only fifteen, Lexi is trying to go for the sexy and elusive angle, and I have to admit, it's working for her. I think Lexi has a good shot of going far this year; she did score a seven in training. The Capitol already seems to love this dynamic dare devil.

Next up is Cole Fyre, who I think will definitely go far this year. He lumbers onstage and I immediately ask him how he got so strong. He says his family worked on a train in District Six, so he's been doing the heavy lifting his whole life. Despite his huge form, I can tell that Cole isn't exactly comfortable. He answers all of my questions very quickly and quietly. He tries to sound optimistic about the Games, but he seems to be a little nervous. I remind him that he got a score of eight during training, and remind him that he's one of the strongest tributes out here. Despite his lack of optimism and confidence, he'll still do well in the arena.

Cleo Amorite kicks off the second half of the interviews. She's an extremely gorgeous girl, wearing a long white dress that hugs her curves and makes her look absolutely stunning. Cleo doesn't go into much detail about her life at home, but regarding the Games, she seems strong and determined enough to make it far. She did score a seven in training, and says she used to climb trees back in District Seven which boosted her strength. She's also very intelligent and strategic, which could also come in handy. I'm sure Cleo will have plenty of Capitol support: she's beautiful, smart, and strong. She's got a sense of humor too, which makes the crowd love her even more. She's another one that I'll be keeping my eye on.

Kairen Parker joins me onstage after Cleo's buzzer rings. Over these past few days, Kairen's intrigued me because every time I see him (or see a picture of him), he's just got this look on his face that makes it look like he's up to something. During his interview, Kairen doesn't disappoint. He's very sly and mysterious about his past as well as his plans for the arena. He's certainly a clever guy, and says he's had his plan set for arena since before he volunteered. "I'm very good at staying in the shadows," he says. "The other tributes will never see me coming." Once again, he's definitely one to look out for.

Next up is Kiyata Merrow of District Eight. Although she's clearly intelligent and confident about the Games, she says she's had a rough past. "I was brought up by my mother who makes literally pennies a day as a seamstress. However, I think my past might actually help me in the Games. I need the money more than anyone, and nobody will be able to prevent me from getting it." It's an inspiring statement, but I remember that this girl only scored a five in training, so the odds don't look too good for her. She talks a little about her six-year-old neighbor Jenney too, who is apparently like a little sister to her. Regarding the Games, she says she has a plan, and she hopes that plan will lead her to victory.

Lindroz Delt joins me onstage after Kiyata leaves. I quickly discover that Lindroz is an extremely narcissistic young man. He talks only about himself and how he's got the perfect plan for winning the Games. He says he's an excellent chess player and strategist, which will guarantee him the victor's crown. I ask him why he scored a four in training if he's so smart, and he says it's the Gamemakers' fault. "They're idiots!" he complains. "They don't know true talent when they see it!" Well, if one thing's for certain, it's that this kid is screwed once he enters the arena. The Gamemakers will surely make him pay for calling them idiots.

Circe Fog's interview is definitely one of the most interesting. She talks for many minutes about how she comes from a family of fortune tellers- one of the few that still practice rain dances and ancient prayers in District Nine. She pulls a crystal ball out of her pocket, which she says is her district token. "It allows me to see the future," she says. "Every time I need to make a decision, I first consult the crystal ball." When I ask her why she volunteered, she says her crystal ball told her to. "On the morning of the reapings, I saw a vision of me standing over a boy with a bloody knife in my hand. From that moment on, I knew I needed to volunteer to fulfill my destiny." She's interesting, but I (as well as most of the audience) think she's full of crap.

Next I welcome Logan Clark onto the stage. If I thought Circe was crazy, Logan takes it to a whole new level. I ask him how he feels about the Games, and he tells me he's very confident. "I can't wait to kill some tributes," he says with a laugh. "I'm gonna wreak some havoc during the Games. The other tributes won't see me coming until their their head's hanging from my fingers and their body's lying sprawled on the ground." He's got such a twisted sense of humor that I think he might have mental issues. Well, I'm sure he'll add some entertainment to the Games, so long as he doesn't go totally crazy and start mutilating bodies or something.

Muna Taylor steps onstage next, wearing a long, sleeveless, flowing black dress and a necklace with a cross on it. She tells me she comes from a family of Christians, and the cross represents Jesus Christ. I don't exactly understand what that is, but she doesn't talk about it for long. Muna would be quite beautiful if it wasn't for a huge scar running across her forehead. When I ask her how she got it, she says she saw a boy stealing money from a school concert, so she chased him to get it back. She followed the boy up a blocked staircase, which collapsed on her, giving her the scar and damaging most of the bones on her left side. She tells me she's never been afraid to stand up for what she believes in, and she believes that fiery determination will help her out in the Games. I ask her if she has an alliance, and she says she's formed one with Valerie from Three and Lexi from Six. I can definitely see that; they're all fiery, play-by-their-own-rules type of girls. So long as their strong personalities don't get in the way, I think they'll go very far.

Sable Maren walks onstage next, dressed in his signature wolf cloak. Every since he wore his cloak at reapings, the Capitol has been obsessed with "the wolf boy." And, considering the fact that he got a nine at training, it's easy to see that this boy will have tons and tons of sponsors. I first ask Sable where the whole wolf cloak thing started with. He says he worked on his family's farm back in District Ten, where his job was to protect the sheep from hungry wolves and poachers. He worked side-by-side with his twin sister Fawn, whom he misses very much. When regarding the upcoming Games, Sable doesn't reveal much. He takes a mysterious approach, telling me we'll have to wait until the arena to find out what he's really capable of.

Next, little Jasmine Kingston joins me onstage, the only twelve-year-old in the Games this year. Unfortunately, like most twelve-year-olds, Jasmine really doesn't have a chance in the arena. During her interview, Jasmine remains quiet and reserved. She twiddles with her hair a lot and responds to most of my questions with simply a word or a phrase. However, I don't think it's because Jasmine's scared- I think it's more because she's bored. She scans the audience with a dull expression on her face, not really paying attention to me or my questions. She's certainly an unusual girl, but it's not the type of unusual that will gain her sponsors.

Next up is Spud Wyllows, a scrawny fourteen-year-old who looks more like he's eleven. Unlike Jasmine, Spud is very nervous about his interview. He tries to hide it with a poor attempt at some sarcasm, but it gets annoying real fast. Apparently, Spud was an apple picker back in District Eleven who would come home from the apple orchards every day with a sunburn and bleeding, blistered hands. He also comes from a very poor family. Well, like his life, personality, and appearance, Spud's chance in the Games is pretty pathetic. It seems District Eleven won't be getting another victor this year.

At last, we move on to the final district of the night. District Twelve's Mindi Hostler struts onstage in a flowing, red gown that's almost as beautiful as Mindi herself. According to Mindi, her mother is a fashion model for the Capitol, which doesn't surprise me, given her daughter's beauty. For a while, I don't have a problem with Mindi, but as the interview progresses, I discover that she's a very annoying person. She clearly thinks very highly of herself and looks down on everyone else, just because she's prettier than them. And when I ask her about the Games, hearing her response makes me want to smash my head through a wall. "Ew, I am _not_ looking forward to the Games, Tristan. The blood and gore are absolutely _disgusting_. And _so_ are most of the tributes. After about the third day, everyone becomes all dirty and _gross_. Honestly, my biggest fear is becoming as grimy and _disgusting_ as the rest of the tributes. I _can't_ be remembered like that."

Mindi's buzzer rings, and I breathe a sigh of relief as she steps offstage. The final tribute of the night, Trenton Stewart, strolls in and takes his seat. He's pretty boring, to be honest. Apparently, he was born a very sickly and tiny baby, and he wasn't expected to live to see his first birthday. Somehow, he defied all odds, only to be reaped for the Hunger Games in a sick twist of fate. Wahoo. When I ask him how he's feeling about going into the Games, he tells me he's already accepted the fact that he's going to die. "There's a one in twenty-four chance of coming out alive," he says. "Those aren't exactly good odds, especially when considering that there's five or six deadly Careers in the mix." I remind myself, though, that this kid did get a seven during training, so he must have some sort of tricks hiding up his sleeve.

Trenton steps offstage and I begin my wrap-up."Well there you have it, Panem. Tomorrow morning, these twenty-four brave young men and women will enter the arena and battle it out until a lone victor remains. Let's give one more round of applause to these amazing tributes!" When the applause subsides, I finish with, "Goodnight, Panem!" I smile and wave at the crowd until I hear the Head Gamemaker's voice in my ear. "We're clear, Tristan. Good job tonight." I sigh and make my way offstage. Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but interviewing these tributes is taxing stuff. At least I only have to do it once a year.

 **Adameus Fletcher (Head Gamemaker)**

I take a break from my work to sip some water and glance at the clock: it's three minutes to midnight. I don't think I'll be getting any sleep tonight. The Games start in a matter of hours; I've been busy double and triple checking all of my systems to make sure everything will run smoothly tomorrow. I can't afford to make any mistakes; the president has made that very clear. I'm more nervous than I've ever been in my life because I know the power the president holds. He's executed multiple Head Gamemakers in the past and wouldn't hesitate to kill another.

Speaking of the devil, President Trekk barges into my office without knocking. "M-Mr. President," I say, shooting out my chair and knocking a file of papers to the ground. "What brings you to my office at such a late hour?"

"You never dropped off your latest progress report," he says. I almost gasp. I'm such an idiot. I was supposed to drop that off yesterday.

"My apologies, Mr. President," I say, locating the sheet and handing it to him. "It won't happen again." This can't be the only reason he wanted to visit me, or he would have just sent an avox. Maybe he's going to punish me for the late progress report. A shiver runs down my spine and I prepare for the worst.

President Trekk scans over the sheet with his cold eyes. "I have to say, Adameus, I'm very impressed with the work you've been putting in over the past few months. Since our little chat last year, you've become a totally different person. Keep up the good work. I'd hate to see what would happen if you didn't."

As the president walks out of the room, a wave of relief hits me, followed by a wave of worry. There was definitely the hint of a threat behind the president's voice. The real reason he came down here wasn't to pick up a report or commend me; it was to remind me in person to keep working hard unless I want to face some very serious consequences. I pick up the file of papers that I dropped, titled " _Arena Design_." I think back on the hours and hours of research I did for this arena, checking every history book I could find for any little tidbit of information. The citizens of Panem won't initially understand the arena design, but I wrote up a few paragraphs on a sheet of paper (that Tristan Honeybee will read) that explains it all. Of course, the president had to censor my explanation. He made a lot of changes, but the basic idea is still there:

 _The design for this arena is quite unlike those in the past. Back in the days before Panem, people went to these places known as "amusement parks" for fun. However, these parks are anything but amusing; researchers are still puzzling to figure out why people got such sick pleasure from going to these parks. Amusement parks are filled with what are known as "rides," which are electronic torture devices that people sit on as they scream at the top of their lungs. There are many different types of rides, such as "haunted houses," buildings where scary creatures jump out and terrify riders and "roller coasters," which are like trains that go extremely fast and flip riders around in the air until they vomit. It is unknown why anyone would willingly submit themselves to these tortures._

 _These chilling "amusement parks" are the inspiration for this year's arena. It took the Gamemakers months and months to recreate one of these terrifying locations, but they've done it with the help of Capitol scientists and researchers. This sick concept will certainly invoke horror and fear within the tributes. The center of the arena is an old amusement park, complete with tons of terrifying rides. If an unsuspecting tribute gets too close to one of the rides, the electricity may turn on, submitting the poor tribute to whatever tortures lie within the ride. The cornucopia is located within a "haunted house" so the tributes will become terrified and confused as soon as they enter the arena. This should add a whole new level of entertainment to the beginning of the Games, since nothing like this has ever been seen before._

 _Now, the amusement park doesn't take up the whole arena; it's surrounded by a forest, which makes up about two-thirds of the arena. However, the only source of water is located within the amusement park, in the form of a small stream and a pond. So, tributes will have to make frequent trips to the amusement park and hope not to fall into the traps of any rides (or other tributes). Our Head Gamemaker has also promised that there'll be plenty of mutts and other obstacles waiting for the tributes. According to him, the 127th Hunger Games is sure to be full of entertainment, and he hopes everyone is just as excited as he is to see how everything plays out in this unique arena._

I close the file folder and set it back on the corner of my desk. I'm very proud of how the arena has turned out, but now's not the time to be worrying about the arena design; I fixed all of that months ago. I should be focusing on everything that needs to be done for tomorrow. I need to check my hovercrafts, electricity, prep rooms, cameras, force field, cannons, and all of the little things that I can't let go wrong. I take another sip of water. This is going to be a long night. I look at my huge agenda list and sigh. Scratch that- this is going to be a long two or three weeks.

 **So I've had the interviews portion of this chapter done for a few days now, but I've been on vacation for the past week without any WiFi and had no way to post it. That's when I decided to add on the POV from our favorite Head Gamemaker, which I think explains the arena pretty well. Also, I'm leaving for a week-long mission trip in two days, so I wanted to leave you guys with something extra before I go.**

 **I won't be able to write during my mission trip, so the next chapter won't be up for a while (which stinks cause it's the bloodbath, but this'll just give me more time to come up with good ideas for it). Like always, make sure you've voted in the poll.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	18. The Bloodbath

**The Bloodbath:**

 **Sable Maren (D10 M 18)**

As I step into my tube, I realize that I've never been this scared in my life. Fighting off ravenous wolves is a cake walk compared to going into the Hunger Games. Wolves haven't trained for years and years to learn the most efficient techniques for killing humans, but I guarantee that all of the Careers have. Wolves also aren't as intelligent as humans (although, with some of the Careers, that is debatable). Wolves don't carry weapons either; they only have their teeth and their claws while humans wield thousands of different kinds of weapons that can kill people in thousands of different ways.

Also, back on the farm, I knew I was never alone. Whenever I got into a tight spot with a pack of wolves or poachers, I knew I could always call on my sister or the rest of the family to bail me out in an instant. Out here, I don't have my family to rely on. I believe that I have Cole and possibly Micah and Jade on my side, but I can never trust them for sure. We've known each other for a matter of days, whereas my sister and I have been building up our trust over the past eighteen years. It's impossible to match that sort of trust in such a short amount of time.

The tube closes, and my stylist gives me a sad wave. A second later, my tube begins to rise, and the panic starts to set in. I take a deep breath and manage to stay calm. If I want any shot at doing well in the Games, I have to remain confident and focused. Cole and I have come up with a plan for the bloodbath, so that's all I should be worrying about. As soon as the gong sounds, we're going to sprint towards each other and then towards the cornucopia. Most tributes go for the supplies before meeting up with allies, but that's often a fatal mistake. With two of us, that means one of us can rifle through supplies while the other watches our backs. Once we've grabbed enough supplies, we're just going to run and run and run until we're far enough away from the Careers. Then, we'll try to rendezvous with Micah and play it by ear from there.

As my tube rises through the darkness, I stare up in anticipation, waiting for the burst of light that tells me I've entered the arena. That burst of light never comes. I hear my tube click to a stop, but nothing else happens. What the heck is going on? Did my tube get stuck? Have I entered the arena? I stand still and try to squint through the darkness, but it's impossible. Suddenly, a rattling sob shatters the silence. "Help me! I'm scared! I want to go home!" a voice cries out. I think it's the boy from District Eleven, Spud. Not a second after I identify the voice, the boy's sobs are vanquished by a flash of light and a loud "boom!" A few gasps ring out as Spud is blown to bits.

My mentor's voice echoes around my head. "Dont forget the most important rule of the Hunger Games: never step off your pedestal before the minute is up and the gong sounds!" Poor Spud just found that out the hard way. Another light flashes on, but this one comes from above. It shines on a big 60, right under it, which switches to a 59... 58... 57... Although the light is dim, it's enough to get the general picture of my surroundings. We're in a building of some sort; there's a ceiling and four walls, with a door on each of them. The cornucopia is located directly under the countdown light, and it's encircled by me and the rest of the tributes.

I stare around, trying to spot Cole, but it's too dark. I can identify a few tributes to my right and left, but Cole isn't one of them. About five pedestals to my right, I see a tall, male figure that could be Cole, but I can't know for sure. It looks like I'll be going into the battlefield alone. I stare back up at the countdown: 44... 43... 42... I spot a sign that I didn't notice before under the countdown, that reads: Welcome to the Haunted House! Even if it wasn't written in blood-red letters, I still don't think I'd feel welcome. That must be the Head Gamemaker's idea of a funny joke; I'm not laughing.

 **Mindi Hostler (D12 F 17)**

I _have_ to figure out a way to get out of here. It's _extremely_ dark; I can barely see a thing. If I didn't see that little boy from District Eleven blow up, I'd be _sprinting_ away right now. The timer is running down _so_ slow; it's only in the twenties. According to the sign under the timer, we're in something called a " _Haunted House_." Now, I don't know what a " _Haunted House_ " is, but I do know what " _haunted_ " means, and I don't like it. As soon as the timer runs out, I'm getting out of this _stupid_ place.

As I look around the cornucopia, I spot a silver case that looks _exactly_ like a makeup pallet I own at home. I almost gasp. I think the Gamemakers put a makeup case in here for me. They want me to look pretty for the sponsors because they _know_ it'll make a good show for the viewers. I have to grab that case. I look up at the clock; there's ten seconds left. I prepare to sprint towards the case as the time gets closer and closer to zero. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

The gong echoes throughout the room and I run towards the makeup case as fast as I can. I don't see anyone chasing me; they're all heading for weapons and backpacks, and other _boring_ stuff. I reach the case and pick it off the ground as the other tributes scramble around me. I decide to take a peek at the makeup, just to make sure the Gamemakers aren't playing with me here. I unlatch the case and swing it open. It's hard to see in this dark room, but I manage to make out the contents of the case. It's filled with about a dozen knives- not makeup.

I yell in frustration and slam the case onto the ground. Stupid Gamemakers! They _definitely_ put that case there to make fun of me. They _must've_ known I had a case like that, so they made a second copy of it and placed it near my pedestal because they _knew_ I'd run for it. I sigh and look around at the supplies near me. It looks like I'll be running around the woods makeup-less for the next few days. There's a few backpacks, some water jugs, and a huge assortment of supplies, but _nothing_ worth taking.

I turn around to leave the room but find my path blocked by one of the Careers. "What do you want?" I snap as he stares at me with a smile on his face.

"What do I want?" He laughs, mocking my question. "I'll show you what I want." Quick as a flash, he whips out a spear and drives it through my chest. I scream as I look down at the spear protruding from my chest. Blood flows out of the wound, and I begin to sob. I don't deserve to die like this. I'm too young, too beautiful. I've got so much to offer the world; I can't go out like this! I fall to the ground and everything begins to go dark.

 **Tyroarius Stryker (D2 M 18)**

The annoying girl from Twelve collapses to the ground and I smile. One kill down, twenty-three to go. I pull my spear out of the girl's chest and begin looking around for my next kill. My goal for the Games, along with becoming victor, is getting the highest kill count. The bloodbath is the perfect time to rack up my numbers, because everyone's in one place, scrambling around for weapons and supplies. I quickly lock eyes on my next victim: the young boy from District Three.

I've just started sprinting over to the boy when someone yells my name. "Ty! Stop it! What are you doing?" It's Mileena, frowning at me.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" I ask, glancing over at her. "I'm trying to get rid of our competition!"

"Competition?" she shouts at me. "That boy's not competition! You're just trying to run your kill count up! You have to go for the real threats while we're all so close. Like that guy." She points over my shoulder at the crazy boy from District Nine, one of the bigger tributes this year. Not even a second later, a spear flies into his head- thrown by Mileena of course. He falls to the ground and I roll my eyes at Mileena.

"You kill tributes your way, I'll kill them mine," I tell Mileena. I turn back to where the boy from District Three was, but he's long gone now. Dammit, Mileena! Now I've gotta track some other idiot down. Many tributes have left the room already, but over half remain. I squint over to the nearest doorway and see Jade claim her first victim- the older girl from District Five. As the girl tries to sprint away, Jade catches up to her and sends a knife through her back. Damn, that's at least four tributes dead, and I'm only responsible for one of them. I gotta get my act together right now.

I spot the District Eight girl near the rear of the cornucopia. I watch as she scoops up a blue bag to add to the two already on her back. I begin advancing towards her. She spots me, her eyes go wide, and she dashes away from the cornucopia. Unfortunately for her, the three bags really weigh her down. I catch her before she reaches the doorway and tackle her to the ground. "Time's up, Eight," I whisper into her ear. Normally, I'd take longer to execute my kill, but I have to get back into the action at the cornucopia. I plunge my spear through the girls back and into her heart. She surprises me by not reacting much- just a small gasp when the spear enters her body. Well, there's no time to play. I pull the spear out and jog back over to the cornucopia.

I reach the cornucopia just in time to see Mileena claim her second victim: Jerry Porch from District Five. He's the victor's son, but I bet he's not feeling very victorious right now. "No!" he squeals as Mileena taunts him with her spear. "You can't do this to me! My dad's a victor! I don't deserve to die this way!"

Mileena laughs. "You think I care? You don't deserve to win, you piece of scum. You're more pathetic than an avox." And just like that, she thrusts her spear through Jerry's heart; he dies almost instantly.

"Competition? Really?" I mock Mileena as she pulls her spear out. "Didn't this kid score like a five at training?"

"He's a freaking victor's son," Mileena argues. "Who knows what terrible tricks he's got hiding up his sleeve?"

"Will you two stop bickering for one minute and try to finish off some of these remaining tributes?" Bebe snaps, somewhat out of breath. "You're giving them a free ticket to all of the supplies right now."

"Whatever," Mileena mumbles, rolling her eyes. She spots a patch of tributes gathering supplies on the other side of the cornucopia and sets off to chase them away. I follow a second later.

 **Micah Islen (D4 M 17)**

The Careers are completely oblivious to the fact that Sable, Cole, and I are still gathering supplies. Bebe, Mileena, and Tyroarious are huddled near the tail of the cornucopia while Jade chases the boy from District Twelve out the doorway to our left. Meanwhile, Sable, Cole, and I are grabbing all of the supplies and weapons we can carry. "Follow me," I whisper to them, and we tiptoe up to the mouth of the cornucopia. The best weapons and supplies are always here, but we need to move fast. I see a flash of movement from within the cornucopia and throw my axe without thinking. It lands in the head of the young girl from District Eleven (Jasmine, I think) and she collapses to the ground.

I pause for a second as I reflect that I just killed a defenseless, twelve-year-old girl. I take a deep breath and try to shake it off. I had to kill her. I didn't realize who she was until my axe clunked into her head. Besides, now I'm one tribute closer to making it back home. Instead of yanking the axe out of her, I find another one, a better-quality one, leaning on the wall, and grab this one. I find a another one on the ground and stuff it into one of my bags as a backup. "You guys ready to go?" I ask as I sling a gray backpack over my back.

"Yeah, let's get out of here," Sable says. He's found himself a bowstaff in the cornucopia, and he seems very happy about it.

"You guys go first," I say. "I'll exit a few seconds later because we don't want to advertise the fact that the three of us are allies."

Cole and Sable step out, check for nearby tributes, and then sprint towards the nearest doorway. Two spears fly by their heads as Mileena and Tyroarius chase them, but Cole and Sable are too fast. They dash through the doorway, leaving Mileena and Tyroarius to retrieve their spears and decide if they want to follow them or not.

While Mileena and Tyroarius are distracted, I sprint out of the cornucopia. I'd prefer to run out the same door Cole and Sable did, but the two Careers are blocking my way. I'll have to escape out another doorway and catch up with the two of them on the other side. Bebe, my district partner, spots me and runs over to block my path. "Come on, Micah," she urges me. "It's not too late to join the Careers. We could really use your strength and talent."

"Sorry," I tell her, "but I'm no Career." I hit her in the nose with the butt of my axe and continue running towards the doorway. I take a quick glance behind me and see blood flowing out of Bebe's nose as she calls for Mileena and Tyroarius to come chase me down. I lock eyes with Tyroarius. I smile as he gives me the death glare. As much as I'd like to stay and brawl with him, it's four against one, and I'm not stupid. I give him a wave and turn back towards the door.

As I'm exiting the room, the words written under the timer comes back to me: " _Welcome to the Haunted House!_ " I've never heard of a " _haunted hous_ e," but I doubt it's anything pleasant. Knowing the Gamemakers, as soon as I exit this doorway, I'll be swarmed by obstacles or mutts or whatever the Gamemakers decide to hit me with. There's also the problem of getting back to Cole and Sable. Since we don't know what's on the outside of the haunted house (if there's even an outside), it's not like we could pick a spot to meet up. It's vital we find each other soon, or the whole plan to defeat the Careers with Jade won't be possible.

A loud " _boom_ " shatters the silence. At first, I wonder if Tyroarius has fired something at me, but I soon realize that it was the first blast signifying the end of the bloodbath. I hear seven blasts in total; I was responsible for one of them, and I bet the Careers took part in the other six. I guess this means the bloodbath is officially over. The Gamemakers know I've essentially made it out alive. After one final glance back at the cornucopia and the Careers, I step through the doorway and into the next phase of the bloodbath.

 **Recap** :

 _ **The Fallen (7):**_

 **Spud Wyllows (D11 M 14) 24th place**

Killed by his pedestal. He stepped off prematurely in a moment of confusion and fear and was blown to bits.

 **Mindi Hostler (D12 F 17) 23rd place**

Killed by Tyroarius. A spear was driven through her heart as she was searching for "supplies" (a makeup case).

 **Logan Clark (D9 M 18) 22nd place**

Killed by Mileena. A spear was thrown into his head after he was recognized as a threat.

 **Claire Bureau (D5 F 18) 21st place**

Killed by Jade. As she tried to escape the bloodbath, a knife was thrust through her back and into her spinal cord; she eventually bled out.

 **Kiyata Merrow (D8 F 17) 20th place**

Killed by Tyroarius. As she tried to flee the bloodbath, her three bags slowed her down and she was caught and tackled to the ground. A spear was sent through her back and into her heart.

 **Jerry Porch (D5 M 15) 19th place**

Killed by Mileena. After being taunted by Mileena, a spear was thrust into his heart.

 **Jasmine Kingston (D11 F 12) 18th place**

Killed by Micah. While hiding out in the cornucopia, she moved and was spotted. An axe was immediately thrown into her head.

 _ **Remaining Tributes (17):**_

 ** _D1_** :

Jade Platinum (GalacticFairydust)

Lumiere Rutherford ( Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived )

 _ **D2**_ :

Mileena Nero (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

Tyroarius Striker (Jms2)

 _ **D3**_ :

Valerie Plasma (GalacticFairydust)

Jazper Hart (ezmonee6)

 _ **D4**_ :

Bebe Cora (The Girl With the Knives)

Micah Islen (emimawi)

 _ **D6**_ :

Lexi Honda (DobbyTheFreeElf)

Cole Fyre (Ripple237)

 _ **D7**_ :

Cleo Amorite (fifidear)

Kairen Parker (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)

 _ **D8**_ :

Lindroz Delt (DashSputnik)

 _ **D9**_ :

Circe Fog (AaronIris34)

 _ **D10**_ :

Muna Taylor (KittyMae98)

Sable Maren (AaronIris34)

 _ **D12**_ :

Trenton Stewart (thebearstew)

 _ **Kills**_ :

 **Mileena Nero (2)** : Logan, Jerry

 **Tyroarius Stryker (2)** : Mindi, Kiyata

 **Jade Platinum (1)** : Claire

 **Micah Islen (1)** : Jasmine

 _ **Alliances**_ :

Jade/Mileena/Tyroarius/Bebe

Valerie/Lexi/Muna

Lumiere/Cleo

Cole/Sable

Kairen/Trenton

Jazper

Micah

Lindroz

Circe

 **Ahhh! We're finally into the Games! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Next up will be the remainder of day one.**

 **Please vote in the poll if you haven't yet! I love finding out how positively or negatively the tributes are viewed by you guys, and I seriously do take it into account.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	19. Day One

**Day One (Continued):**

 **Muna Taylor (D10 F 15)**

Valerie, Lexi, and I stumble out of the bloodbath with a backpack apiece. Valerie managed to get her hands on a whip, and I snagged a pack of half a dozen throwing knives. As soon as we step through one of the four doorways surrounding the cornucopia, we're plunged into total darkness. "You guys still there?" Lexi's voice calls through the darkness.

"Yeah," Valerie and I reply at the same time.

"What do you think this place is?" Valerie asks. "Some sort of cave?"

"I don't know," I say, keeping my voice calm, "but we should probably get out of here. Let's keep walking."

A few seconds later, a loud scream pierces the silence. "What was that?" Lexi asks, failing to keep the shakiness out of her voice. We hear two more identical screams before being bathed in sinister, flashing lights.

Valerie screams as something lunges towards her. She attacks it with her whip and it falls to the ground. "What the..?" Valerie wonders aloud, peering over the figure. I look over too and discover that it's just a piece of fabric, displaying a realistic picture of a young girl; she's splattered in blood, her clothes are slashed, and her mouth is wide open, as if twisted into a blood curdling scream.

"What is this place?" Lexi whispers. Through the flashing lights, I can see that her face has gone as white as a sheet.

"I don't know, but we're getting out of here," I tell her. The three of us grasp hands and run along one of the walls. A minute later, we reach a dead end; right as we turn around, about a dozen knives whiz towards our heads. Thanks to our fast reflexes, we dive to the ground in time, but I swear, I feel a knife skim along the top of my head. We backtrack and try a different route. Suddenly, it dawns on me. "Guys, I think we're in a maze- a terrifyingly twisted, haunted maze."

"Well, every maze has an exit, r-right?" Valerie asks with the slightest of stutters.

"Exactly," I say. "We just have to find the exit."

The next few minutes are the longest minutes of my life. The three of us are attacked by all sorts of deadly demons. The lights remain off most of the time, leaving us to grope through the darkness until we stumble upon another dangerous obstacle. At one point, Lexi falls through a trap door; Valerie and I have to pull her out as she screams about something biting her feet. The zombies from the 225th Hunger Games also make an appearance, as does the boy from District Eight; he scampers off when he realizes that there's three of us and one of him.

Finally, we find a door labeled EXIT. We push the door open and finally find ourselves outdoors, a bright blue sky staring down at us. "We did it," I murmur breathlessly, and the three of us sink to the ground. That was the most terrifying thing I've gone through in my life, and I need a moment to collect myself. It's only when Lexi tries to pull me off of the ground that I remember that we really need to get out of here. Lying on the ground in plain sight probably isn't a good idea. I grab Lexi's hand as she helps me to my feet, and then the three of us begin walking once again.

As we walk, I become more and more puzzled as to where we are. We come across a number of huge, metal objects, most of which reach higher than the trees. They're all shaped differently, and I've never seen anything like them before. "What are these things?" I wonder aloud to Lexi and Valerie.

"No idea," Valerie says. "That one kind of looks like a train- but, you know, it's in the sky. There's a river under it too."

"We might want to stop there and fill up any water bottles we have," I suggest. The three of us dig through our bags and come up with a water bottle apiece. We fill up the bottles, drop some iodine into them (courtesy of Lexi's bag), and continue our hike. I can tell we're getting somewhere; I can see some woods and a hill in the distance. My bones are starting to ache a bit, but we have to keep going and get ourselves into some form of shelter.

At last, we reach the tree line and sit down on some rocks to take a quick break. Valerie's stomach gives a loud grumble. "You hungry?" I ask her.

"Nope, my stomach's just warning us of an incoming thunderstorm," she replies. I roll my eyes. Whatever fear she had in the maze is gone now; she's back to her same old sarcastic self again. "Of course I'm hungry!" Valerie says, slamming her fist down on her bag. "We haven't eaten in days!" This statement even draws an eye-roll from Lexi.

"Let's sort through the supplies first and see what we've got," I say. We empty out the supplies out of the bags and sort them into three piles: food, weapons, and survival supplies. Weapons is the smallest pile: there's just Valerie's whip, my throwing knives, and a small hunting knife we find in one of the bags (which Lexi claims since she doesn't have a weapon). In the food pile, we collect our three water bottles, two cans of soup, a package of dried fruit, a package of beef jerky, and a package of assorted nuts. This is barely going to get us through the day, let alone tomorrow. I rip open the beef jerky, pull out three strips, and toss a piece to both Lexi and Valerie. We'll definitely have to search for food either tonight or tomorrow morning, or we'll be in some major trouble.

Lastly, I compile all of our survival supplies. We manage to amass two pieces of rope, a pack of matches, an extra jacket, two sleeping bags, the bottle of iodine, a first aid kit, and a blanket. Well, it sucks that we only have two sleeping bags, but at least we got the jacket and blanket. We'll have to rotate what we sleep in each night. The rope should come in handy for trap-making. I don't know about the other two, but I spent some time at the trap/snare station; I'm not an expert by any means, but I think I know enough to catch us some food.

"We should probably get moving," Valerie warns us after a few minutes of resting. "We're barely inside the tree line, so it would be easy for another group of tributes to find us." With a groan, Lexi and I stand up and begin trudging through the woods. We've still got plenty of hours until nightfall, so I think we can make it far enough into the woods to be safe- well, as safe as you can be in the Hunger Games.

 **Cleo Amorite (D7 F 17)**

Somehow, we made it. Lumiere and I made it through that demon-infested maze and broke free into the sunlight and fresh air. That maze has got to be the most terrifying thing I've encountered in my entire life. There were a number of times during which Lumiere and I brushed death, but thanks to our quick-thinking and bravery, we managed to persevere. If it weren't for certain tragedies that I've gone through in my past- events that have strengthened me and made me who I am today- I don't know if I would've reached the exit with my sanity still intact.

Lumiere seems a bit more bothered by the encounter than I am. He hasn't spoken a word to me since we exited the maze, which was over two hours ago. He's probably still recovering from some very close calls we had in the maze. During one instance, we were chased by a man (or more likely a dummy) wielding a chainsaw. Lumiere tripped, and I watched as the blade came within inches of his head before he rolled away to safety. Another time, a fireball flew out of nowhere, headed straight for his face. He ducked just in time; the fireball skimmed over his head, but I think it took some of his hair with it.

We've been hiking through the woods for quite some time now, but not nearly long enough to keep our distance from the Careers and the Haunted House. Speaking of the Careers, I wonder if they'll stay in cornucopia, like they normally do, or find a less-terrifying place to live. The maze would offer them great protection (not that the Careers need it, of course), but I doubt they'd want to fight their way through that maze every time they want to get some water or go tribute hunting or whatever bored Careers like to do.

"You want to take a quick break?" I ask Lumiere. "We can sort through our supplies and see if we have any food or water."

Lumiere nods, so we sit down on a rotted stump and open up our bags- we each managed to grab one during the bloodbath. We didn't get any weapons, but neither of us are very talented with those anyways. Inside the bags, we find two sleeping bags, a pack of matches, a piece of flint, a pot, a piece of fishing line, hooks, dried fruit, two cans of soup, crackers, and two empty water bottles. We'll have to make water our number one priority for now. I can kind of see a hill in front of us. Maybe we should head there; we'd be able to see more of the arena from there, so we may be able to spot a source of water.

I relay this idea to Lumiere, and he agrees we should head to a high point. We repack everything in our bags and get going again. Once we tackle the priority of water, we'll have to start looking for food. We've got a bit to get us going, but we'll definitely need some for tomorrow on. I worked a lot on berry identification, so berries may become our primary food source. It would be nice to catch some protein, but we don't have any rope or weapons for ensnaring or killing animals. We have fishing line and hooks, but we have to find a water supply first before we can fish out of it.

Eventually, we reach the top of the hill and find a rock outcropping with a good view of most of the arena. Sitting on it, we scan the arena until we spot a source of water. It doesn't take long- there's a river running right through the center of the arena, right where all of those giant, metal machines are. There's a pond too, but it's also right in the middle of all those giant metal things. "What do you think?" Lumiere asks. "Should we go to that river or try to find another water source?"

"I don't know if there is another water source," I say. "I think we need to head for the edge of that river. It's definitely a risk, stepping out in the open like that, but it'll be worth it if we can get our hands on some water. We can fill the pot with river water, head into the woods a little bit, start a fire, boil the water, and then get out of there as quickly as we can."

"Okay," Lumiere says. He doesn't seem so sure about the risk, but we're going to have to take some risks if we want to do well in the Games. As long as we're quick about this, we should be able to get our water without getting caught by the Careers. Besides, they're probably still counting supplies in the Haunted House, so we should do this before they step outside. We sling our bags over our shoulders and hike back down the hill, towards the river.

 **Mileena Nero (D2 F 18)**

Bebe and Jade need to finish sorting the stupid supplies so that we can go freaking tribute hunting. It's been hours since the bloodbath; we need to get outside of this "Haunted House" and get a few hours of hunting in before night falls. I've been waiting for this my whole life; Jade and Bebe are really testing my patience right now. Tyroarius seems bored too; he's sitting on a wooden crate with his head resting between his hands. We make eye contact and he sighs. I think this is the first time all week we've agreed on something. I walk over to him and pull up another crate to sit on. "You want to get out of here too?" I ask him.

He nods. "We can't tell what time of day it is, so we need to start hunting as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the further the tributes are going to get from us." He looks over at Bebe and Jade. "We should probably assign one of them to guard the stuff. Any preference?"

"We should leave Bebe and take Jade with us," I tell him. "Even though Jade only got one kill at the bloodbath, Bebe got zero. That's just plain sad. She had twenty tributes placed right in front of her, and she couldn't even pick off one." I shake my head. "Jade's better at weapons anyway. If we come across Cole and Sable or Micah, she can be our backup."

Tyroarious laughs. "We won't need back up," he says. "Well, maybe you will, but I won't."

I roll my eyes. "Well, I'm going to tell them we're leaving now. Bebe can finish sorting through the stuff while we're gone."

Tyroarius nods, and I walk over to the girls. "So, Bebe, Jade, we've decided- Tyroarius and I- that we're going tribute hunting. We've been stuck in here all morning, and we don't even know what the rest of the arena looks like. We really need to get a move on because nightfall will be here before we know it."

The girls nod. "So, is someone staying to guard the stuff or are we all going?" Jade asks.

"Ty and I decided that it's Bebe's turn today," I tell them; Bebe's face falls slightly. "We'll rotate," I assure her, though I'm not being entirely truthful. There's no way I'll staying back, and I'm sure there's no way Ty will, so Jade and Bebe will rotate. "Bebe, you can finish sorting the supplies while we're gone. And Jade, we're leaving in five minutes."

Five minutes later, the three of us set out through one of the doorways with a backpack and a weapon apiece. As soon as the cornucopia's out of sight, everything goes dark. "What's going on?" I ask. As soon as the words have left my lips, we're bathed in bright strobe lights. Then, about half a dozen knives fly out of nowhere and sail towards our faces; we dive to the ground, just in time.

"What the hell is going on here?" Tyroarius remarks as he cautiously stands up from the ground. Next thing we know, we're being chased through the maze by a cloaked figure wielding a chainsaw. We run for our lives, and I swear I feel the chainsaw skim the back of my shirt.

From there, the horrors just keep coming. In one corridor, a slimy, green liquid drips down on us and burns wherever it makes contact with our skin. In another, we find a huge, scaly, repulsive creature gnawing on what looks to be human remains. It chases us until Ty throws his spear through its head. In a third, a ragged and somewhat feminine creature screams loud enough to make our ears bleed. We're plunged into darkness again after that; for the next few minutes, I can't see or hear anything. I can feel Ty and Jade to my sides, and they're both sweaty and shaking. It's by far the scariest moment of my life.

Then, without warning, I trip and tumble through something solid- a door, possibly. With Ty and Jade right behind me, I land face-down on the ground and get a mouthful of dirt. I turn over, brush myself off, and squint through the sunlight. "We made it," I gasp breathlessly.

"That sucked," Ty manages to spit out as he pants heavily. I look over at Jade and watch her wipe a tear off of her face. I nearly laugh aloud at this timely display of affection until I feel my face and realize that it's a bit wet too. At least Ty's not crying. I bet the Capitol's having a good old time, laughing their asses off as they watch three fully-trained Careers recover from a stupid maze. We must be the saddest Career alliance in the whole history of the Games. There's only four of us, three of us are girls, one of us can barely use weapons, and two of us started crying because of an stupid effing maze. _Crying_. Careers don't cry. It may have only been a few tears, but it's crying, all the same. I am going to _kill_ the Gamemakers for putting that sadistic maze in here.

 **Kairen Parker (D7 M 17)**

My stomach grumbles again, and I groan. I haven't had anything to eat since breakfast. Trenton and I failed to grab anything at the bloodbath, and we're certainly paying for it now. We haven't found anything to eat, and the only water we've seen was a stream in the middle of the arena, under all of those giant metal things. We each took a sip of water, but I wish we had thought to take some with us. We would've had to find something to put it in, though, so it probably wouldn't have worked anyways.

I spot a patch of black berries and nudge Trenton. "Do you think those are edible?" I ask him.

Trenton takes one look at them and says, "You know I didn't work on any survival skills during training. You did some berry identification, didn't you?"

"A little," I say. I lean down and inspect the berries for about of minute. "Well, I've got good news and bad news," I eventually tell Trenton. "The good news is I think these are elderberries, which are completely edible."

"Great," Trenton says sincerely. "What's the bad news?"

"There's a slight chance they could be pinosaberries, which are pretty poisonous."

"How sure are you that they're edible?" Trenton asks nervously.

I inspect the berries again. "About ninety percent," I say. "But the trainer working at the berry station said you should be one hundred percent sure before eating a wild berry."

"Screw the trainer. I'm hungry," Trenton remarks.

"Yeah, let's just eat them," I decide. "I think I'd rather die quickly from poison than slowly from starvation anyway." We each grab a berry and throw it in our mouths. Once we've determined that neither of us are dying, we raid the bush of berries, pop some into our mouths, and throw the rest into our pockets.

We find a second elderberry bush about a hundred feet away. As soon as I've determined that they're the same type of berry, we lean down and begin adding the berries to our stash. As I add the last few berries to my pocket, I can't help but be glad that everything's gone right for Trenton and I since we left the evil maze thing. We haven't run into any Carreers or rabid mutts, and we've found enough food to get us through the day. The great feeling doesn't last long. Right as we're standing up to leave, a twig snaps behind us. "Dammit, Mileena," a male voice groans. Trenton and I whip around and find ourselves face-to-face with three Careers.

If my years and years of picking pockets have taught me anything, it's how to run fast. Before the Careers even raise a weapon, I turn on my heels and bolt. A spear flies past my head, but it doesn't hit me. I know the Careers won't be able to catch me. I could run for hours; the Careers would never chase me for that long. Besides, I'll outrun them much sooner than that. As soon as I've gone a safe distance, I'll find a place to hide. Then, the Careers really won't be able to find me.

Trenton isn't as lucky as I am. He isn't a natural thief. He's a wrestler, not a runner. I hear his cannon go off about a minute after I begin running. That's eight tributes dead already. I pick up the pace; I don't want the death toll to rise to nine. Eventually, the Careers' shouts fade into the noise of the forest. I keep running, putting as much distance between me and the Careers as I can. Night's about to fall which means they've probably given up and gone back to their base. I don't care, though. I keep running.

Finally, I decide that I've been running long enough. It's getting dark, and I don't want to trip over something and hurt myself. I need to find somewhere to hide. At first I consider climbing into a tree, but I don't have the upper body strength for that. I have to find something on the ground. Eventually, I come across a thick pile of brush and branches; I'm skinny enough to squeeze under them and out of sight. It's not a perfect hiding spot, but it'll work for one night- hopefully.

 **Jade Platinum (D1 F 17)**

A few minutes after we step out of the woods, the Panem Anthem begins. Mileena, Ty, and I stare up at the sky as the faces of the eight dead tributes are displayed for everyone to see. First up is the girl from District Five (my kill), followed by her district partner. Next is the girl from Eight (I didn't know much about her) and the psycho boy from Nine. Then comes all four District Eleven and Twelve tributes. The final face in the sky, the boy from Twelve, was just killed by Ty and his spiked club a little while ago. That brings the death toll for day one up to eight. The anthem ends and the sky blackens once more.

As we begin walking again, I find myself relieved that Micah, Cole, and Sable are still alive. I haven't seen any of them since the bloodbath; I need to make contact with them tomorrow. That's going to be tough with Ty and Mileena sticking their noses into everyone's business. Plus, Bebe's very intelligent; things like this have a tough time slipping by her. I have to be very careful about communicating with Micah, Cole, and Sable, so it'll probably take a bit longer than expected to take out the Careers. It's unfortunate, but honestly, as long as Ty, Mileena, and Bebe are taken out, it really doesn't matter when it happens.

As the haunted house appears through the giant metal structures, a cold feeling surrounds me. To get back to Bebe, the cornucopia, and all of our stuff, we have to go through the maze again. Mileena and Ty seem to realize this as we reach the Haunted House. They stare at the 'Entrance' label above the door and then at each other. "So, who's going in?" I ask them.

There's a moment of silence, and then Ty speaks. "Maybe we should just find someplace else to find shelter. I don't know about you guys, but I'd rather not go through the maze every time I need to step outside to pee."

Mileena snorts. "Don't be ridiculous, Ty. All of our food and supplies are in there."

"And Bebe," I add.

"Do you think there's any way we could contact her and tell her to bring all of the stuff out?" Mileena asks.

"Nah," Ty says. "It's a solid building, and she's in the middle of it. I think we should all go in."

"Why all of us?" Mileena asks. "We don't need three people to tell Bebe we're moving our camp."

"Yes, but the more people we have, the more supplies we can carry out," I point out. "Besides, with more people, it'll be easier to fight off whatever attacks us in the maze."

Mileena groans. "Are we sure there's no other way to contact Bebe?"

There's a moment of silence as the three of us stare at the entrance. Then, suddenly, "I've got it," I say. "There _is_ another way in."

"What?" Ty asks. "This is the only entrance. There's no other doors."

"We don't need a door," I say. "We just need something sharp enough, and I think the spears will do it. See that tree over there?" I point at a tall tree that has its branches leaning on the haunted house. "We can climb up that and onto the roof. Then, we'll walk to the center of the roof, cut a hole in it, and yell to Bebe to send a rope up. We'll tie it to the ceiling, climb down, get all of the stuff, and then climb back up."

I can practically see the gears grinding in Ty's head. "That should work, as long as the spears are sharp enough to cut through."

"But it's already pretty dark out," Mileena says. "We won't have time for all of this."

"We don't have to do everything tonight," I say. "We can climb in now, sleep there tonight, and then transfer the stuff out tomorrow."

"Well, if we don't have to go through the maze, it works for me," Mileena says. "Let's do it."

The first phase of our plan goes as planned. We each climb up the tree, step onto the roof, and walk towards the center of it. There's a small debate on where the hole should be cut, but we eventually decide on a spot. Our real problem is cutting the hole. Ty's the only one who manages to make a mark in the roof with his spiked club. It takes all three of us, pushing down on my spear, to finally bust through. We widen the hole using Ty's club and yell down to Bebe.

"What the heck are you three doing?" she yells up, looking half confused, half amused.

"We'll explain in a minute! Just throw us up a rope!" Mileena yells.

Bebe locates a rope and spends about ten minutes trying to throw it high enough to reach us. Mileena rolls her eyes as Ty complains, "Almost a decade of training and she can't even throw a rope up twenty feet." Eventually, Bebe hooks the rope over one of the rafters near us. "I've got this," Ty says. He leans through the hole and pulls the rope out.

"I'll tie it," I say before Ty can do anything with the rope. I don't exactly trust his knot-tying abilities. Once the rope's secure, we each shimmy down the rope and land a few feet away from the cornucopia and a puzzled-looking Bebe.

"So, now can you tell me why you've just dropped in here spy-style?" Bebe asks.

"I'm tired," Ty says, faking a yawn. "I'm going to bed."

"Me too," Mileena announces, following him to the cornucopia.

I roll my eyes and look over at Bebe. She stares back eagerly. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll let you know what happened." We sit down and I tell her the whole story.

 **Recap** :

 _ **The Fallen (1):**_

 **Trenton Stewart (D12 M 17) 17th place**

Killed by Tyroarius. As he tried to run from the Careers, a spiked club was swung through the back of his head.

 ** _Remaining Tributes (16)_ :**

 _ **D1**_ :

Jade Platinum (GalacticFairydust)

Lumiere Rutherford ( Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived )

 _ **D2**_ :

Mileena Nero (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

Tyroarius Striker (Jms2)

 _ **D3**_ :

Valerie Plasma (GalacticFairydust)

Jazper Hart (ezmonee6)

 _ **D4**_ :

Bebe Cora (The Girl With the Knives)

Micah Islen (emimawi)

 _ **D6**_ :

Lexi Honda (DobbyTheFreeElf)

Cole Fyre (Ripple237)

 _ **D7**_ :

Cleo Amorite (fifidear)

Kairen Parker (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)

 _ **D8**_ :

Lindroz Delt (DashSputnik)

 _ **D9**_ :

Circe Fog (AaronIris34)

 _ **D10**_ :

Muna Taylor (KittyMae98)

Sable Maren (AaronIris34)

 _ **Kills**_ :

 **Tyroarius Stryker (3)** : Mindi, Kiyata, Trenton

 **Mileena Nero (2):** Logan, Jerry

 **Jade Platinum (1):** Claire

 **Micah Islen (1):** Jasmine

 _ **Alliances**_ :

Jade/Mileena/Tyroarius/Bebe

Valerie/Lexi/Muna

Lumiere/Cleo

Cole/Sable

Jazper

Micah

Kairen

Lindroz

Circe

 **School has officially begun for the year, and I'm already finding myself busier with homework, clubs, sports, and other stuff. :-( I'll try to update as regularly as I can, but I can't make any promises.**

 **And here's your usual reminder to vote in the poll that I put up about three chapters ago. I'll be taking it down in a few days, so get your votes in asap.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	20. Day Two

**Day Two:**

 **Bebe Cora (D4 F 17)**

"Rise and shine guys! It's moving day!" I open my eyes and squint up at Tyroarius who's clanging a spear against a pan. "Come on guys, we've got a long day ahead of us. If we want to go tribute hunting we need to get a move on."

I groan and slowly stand up. I walk over to our food pile and tear open a package of dried fruit. "It's time to pack this all up," Ty announces. "Everything must go."

Jade and Mileena trudge over to the food as well. As soon as they've had something to eat, we begin piling everything into backpacks. Since we'll be escaping by climbing up a rope, the only way we can carry stuff out is by putting them in backpacks. The problem is we don't have enough backpacks to fit all of our stuff. First we prioritize, making a pile of stuff we don't absolutely need: a bow and arrows, some rope, some empty water bottles, one of our two tents, a few sleeping bags (we only need four) and other miscellaneous junk. Once our sorting is complete, we've still got about three bags' worth of stuff we need. "We'll just have to toss a few bags back down," Jade says. "We can make this work."

I climb up the rope first since I'm the most experienced climber of the group. I sling a backpack over my back and begin the ascent. It's been a few days since I've climbed a rope, but there was one back at the training center in District Four that I climbed nearly every day. Sure enough, my climb isn't too difficult, but I can't say the same about the other three. They obviously haven't climbed too many ropes in their lifetimes. Jade and Mileena manage to make it up without many hiccups, although they're breathing heavily at the top. Ty, however, has a bit of an issue. The trouble is, Ty's a big guy; he has a lot of muscle mass, which doesn't translate well to climbing. It takes a lot of tips and encouragement, but Ty eventually pulls himself up. He lies down, breathing deeply. "That sucked," Ty simply says through breaths.

A minute later, the four of us climb back down, amid Ty's shouts: "This is so much easier!" We each load another backpack onto our back and climb up the rope. I can already see the exhaustion setting in on the other three, especially Ty, who barely makes it up again.

"Let me do this third trip alone," I tell them. I slip down, grab another bag, and fly back up to the top.

"How do you do that?" Mileena asks. "You're not even tired."

"Well, the fact that I'm only about a hundred pounds probably helps," I reply. "Since a young age, I've been good at climbing, so I've practiced stuff like this a lot."

Two more trips later, I can tell that Ty, Mileena, and Jade are exhausted. "I can do the rest," I tell them. "There's only a few bags left."

"I'll help," Jade volunteers. "It's not fair to have you do it all for us."

"It's fine," I tell her. "I've got this. Just take a break, and if you're feeling up to it in a few minutes, then you can take a trip or two down."

For the first time since arriving at the Capitol, I think the other Careers are finally realizing my worth in this alliance. With my tiny stature, I've never been strong or great at weapons, but I am intelligent, I can sprint, and I can climb. Within twenty minutes, all of our stuff has found its way onto the roof. We each pick up as much as we can carry, climb off of the roof, and begin looking for another shelter. We'll have to make two or three more trips to get the rest of our stuff; but we're not too worried about leaving it behind. There's no way anyone else will be able to find everything on the top of our roof.

A few minutes later, we find a pavilion near the pond that looks like it'll work for now. It's not as sheltered as the haunted house was, but at least it's not surrounded with death traps. Mileena volunteers to stay behind to guard the stuff while the rest of us set out to pick up more of the supplies. As we walk, I glance up at the sun. Judging by its location, it must be about ten o'clock now. We've already wasted a few hours, but moving the supplies is a task that needed to be done. Even though I never experienced the horrors of the maze firsthand, judging by the others' reaction, it wasn't pleasant. As soon as we've gathered the rest of the supplies, we can kiss that haunted house goodbye.

 **Circe Fog (D9 F 16)**

I hum an ancestral spirit hymn as I hike through the woods. I spent the night in a tree, gazing up at the stars, but this morning, the crystal ball has urged me to get up and start looking for food. By the crystal ball's advice, I did not grab anything from the cornucopia. I barely escaped the maze; it left me with an ugly scratch along my shoulder. That wasn't a problem, though. I just found some mohi leaves and placed them over the cut; it started healing almost instantly. I can thank my extensive knowledge of potions and plants for knowing how to do that. When I was a kid, my mother would lead me around the outskirts of District Nine, teaching me what powers each of the plants hold.

That's why looking for food isn't a problem either. These woods are littered with plenty of edible plants and berries. The trouble is, many of them are not edible. I've learned enough about poisons to know which berries I should never touch. Speaking of berries, I come across a bush of green berries and lean down to examine them. I smile- they're sosa berries. They're completely edible, and are even nicknamed "the lucky berry" because they're believed to bring good luck. I add a few handfuls of these to my pockets, which already have two other types of berries and some roots. That should be enough food to get me through the day, but I should probably collect some more, just in case.

While food hasn't been an issue for me, water is more of a concern. The only water I've seen has been a steam under those big metal things in the center of the arena. However, when I asked the crystal ball if I should venture there, I saw a vision of me being harmed- a flat out "no" in the terms of the crystal ball. The liquid inside of the berries has sustained me so far, but if I haven't found any water by tomorrow, I'll need to take a trip to the stream. As long as I'm careful, I should be able to sprint in, collect some water, and sprint out. Tonight, I'll use some ferns to tightly weave a basket or two. That way, I'll have enough water to keep me away from the stream for the next few days.

Eventually, I decide it's time to sit down for some lunch. I take a seat on top of a boulder and pop some berries into my mouth. As I eat, I find myself feeling slightly depressed. Ever since I was reaped, I've had one goal for the Games and one goal only: to find myself a young apprentice and teach her the ways of the spirits. I don't care about winning; if the spirits have decided I will die, I will greet death with open arms. As long as I've passed on my knowledge, it won't matter if I live or die.

If I remember correctly, there's still three girls left in the Games under the age of sixteen: the girls from Districts Three, Six, and Ten. If I'm still remembering correctly, they're all allied too. Although the spirits have never said anything about having multiple apprentices, isn't three the luckiest number of all time? Teaching three people at one time would be difficult, but with three apprentices, there's a better chance one of them will make it out of the arena alive. There's a better chance that my knowledge and abilities won't die with me. The problem is, all three of those girls turned me down during training. However, if I show them what I can do with my knowledge of plants and berries, maybe they'll be more eager to learn from me.

 **Lindroz Delt (D8 M 16)**

Things have been going terribly ever since my puppet, Jerry, died. He was supposed to lead me to victory, and he couldn't even survive the bloodbath. Before the Games started, I came up with a plan for how to attack the bloodbath: he'd run towards the bloodbath, he'd grab us bags and supplies, and then he'd protect me as we escaped from the bloodbath. Since Jerry was a victor's son, we would have gotten plenty of sponsor gifts, no matter what stupid comments came out of his mouth. Unfortunately, I put too much faith in him. I assumed that he'd be a better fighter- that his dad would teach him how to survive the Games if he ever got reaped. Obviously, his dad taught him squat, and now I'm the one suffering from his stupidity.

Since I was relying on sponsor gifts and Jerry to feed me, I didn't visit the berry station as much as I probably should have. I got a 75% on the berry test, so I'm confident with a few basic berries, but I'm shaky with a bunch more. I found a handful of blueberries this morning and immediately gobbled them up. I'm going to need more food soon, but the blueberries at least got me through the morning. I saw a few more bushes as well, but since I wasn't positive they were edible, I decided to leave them alone. My stomach has been groaning in hunger and my legs and feet are sore from walking. It's all Jerry's fault. If he hadn't gotten himself freaking killed, I wouldn't be in this unfortunate position. I'm a chess player, not a survivalist, and Jerry was supposed to be my path to victory.

For my whole life, I've always been able to manipulate others to do stuff for me. Taking advantage of Jerry would've been almost too easy, but Jerry's dead now, and I'm alone in the woods with no one to help me. Even if I did manage to find another tribute, there's no way he or she would want to be my ally. You can't trust anyone during this stage of the Games. Plus, it's not even worth taking the time to manipulate someone; even if I managed to create another puppet, he or she would be dead in another day or two. Now I'm stuck on my own without any help. I'm not giving up, though. If there's one thing I hate, it's losing.

I've had a headache for a few hours, but it's starting to get worse. My head throbs as I squint around the forest, looking for berries. I bet it's the lack of water that's giving me the headache. Add that to the list of issues I'm having. I haven't come across any water since entering the arena, so I don't know where the Gamemakers expect me to conjure it from. I groan and massage my forehead. For once, can't something just go right for me? Haven't the Gamemakers punished me enough? I've barely been in the arena for a day, but it feels like a lifetime.

I need to take a break; my body aches too much. I sit down on a boulder and try to catch my breath. I've never walked so much in my life. I've always hated exercising. The only form of physical activity I get is my daily commute to school- and even that bugs me. My throat is killing me. I wish I had some water- or at least something to quench my thirst. Not long after the thought enters my head, I spot a clump of berries under a dying, rotted tree. I smile in relief; berries are juicy and could certainly soothe my throat. I nearly sprint over to the bush and pop a handful into my mouth.

By the time I realize I forgot to check the berries, it's already too late. I try to choke the berries back up, but I'm unsuccessful. I snatch up another handful of berries and examine them. A cold feeling forms in the pit of my stomach; I don't recognize the berries at all. I whip the berries onto the ground. All I can do now is wait and see if my body reacts. Since the effect of toxins vary, it could take anywhere from seconds to days for the poison to kill me. Of course, that's assuming the berries are poisonous. There's about a fifty percent chance they're edible, so I'm not counting myself dead yet.

Minutes pass and my body still feels just like it did before I ate the berries. Maybe I did get lucky. Maybe the berries were edible, and I'm freaking out over nothing. I should probably finish my break and get back to hiking. I stand back up, and the nausea hits me like a slap in the face. I collapse to the ground and begin retching up all the contents of my stomach. I try to stand back up, but I'm too weak to even raise my foot. "No!" I shout at no one in particular as a tingling sensation spreads throughout my body. I can't go out like this! I'm capable of so much more! My vision becomes dotted with black. I close my eyes as I swirl into the dark abyss.

 **Jazper Hart (D3 M 13)**

The past two days have been extremely rough. It all started before the Games even begun; Spud freaked out, stepped off his pedestal, and was blown to bits. As a result of this, when the gong sounded, it took me a few moments to react. Once I regained my composure, I sprinted to the nearest bag and grabbed it. That's when the boy from District Two spotted me. He ran towards me at full speed, and I knew I was dead meat. By some miracle, though, he was stopped by his district partner, who told him something about taking out bigger threats. With him distracted, I dashed through the nearest doorway and into the maze.

If I thought the bloodbath was bad, the maze was at least five times worse. I was attacked by the worst sort of demons in there- everything from ravenous dog-like mutts to scaly, reptilian creatures. There were traps too- I almost fell into a hole in the ground only a few seconds into the maze. At the end of another corridor, half a dozen knives flew out of nowhere towards my face. Thankfully, I'm shorter than the average tribute, so I barely had to duck to avoid them. I cried when I finally reached the exit and stepped into the mid-morning sunlight. There's nothing that'll make me step foot in that maze again. Even if my life was on the line, I don't think I'd go back. Just thinking about it makes me shudder with terror.

After escaping the maze, I wandered around under the giant metal machines for a bit. I haven't decided what they are yet, but they're probably something people used in the days before Panem. I plan to stay very far away from them; if the haunted house wasn't a clear enough message to avoid them, I don't know what would be. I eventually reached the woods and continued to put as much distance between me and the haunted house as possible. I walked until night began to fall, when I climbed up into a tree and opened my bag for the first time. Inside, I found a sleeping bag, an empty water bottle, a can of soup, a bottle of iodine, a square of tarp, and a pack of crackers. I ate half of the crackers and then fell asleep.

I woke up this morning with a pounding headache- probably from my lack of hydration. I immediately set off in search of food and water. Thankfully, I spent lots of time working on berry identification during training, so food hasn't been an issue. I've found a huge assortment of berry bushes today- some edible, some inedible, and some I'm not familiar with. Throughout the day, I've come across three berry bushes that I know for sure are edible, and I picked up about a handful of berries at each one. It's not a lot, but it'll keep me alive- as long as I can find water, that is. I've searched all day, but I haven't found a single drop of it. I know there has to be a stream or something somewhere; the Gamemakers don't want everyone dying of dehydration.

So that's where I'm at now- wandering through the woods with little food and no water. It's not the life I envisioned for my thirteen-year-old self, but I've got no other options. Even though I've accepted the fact that I'm going to die out here, I'm not giving up. I'll keep searching for water and trying to survive until I breathe my last breath. I'm very impressed with myself for making it to day two. According to my mentor, I was expected to be a bloodbath for sure. I'm glad to have proved the majority of Panem wrong. I may be small and I may be young, but I have just as much determination and resilience as those Careers.

Looking up ahead, I see that the trees are thinning out. I spot one of the giant metal things and frown. I hadn't even realized which direction I was hiking in. I should be heading away from the center of the arena, not towards it. I sigh and turn around, but as my eyes pass by the huge machine, I do a double take. Right under the structure, glistening in the sunlight, is a small stream of water. My legs take over before my brain can even think. I dash towards the stream and almost laugh in relief. At last, I've found water. I drop my bag and fish out my water bottle with one hand and my bottle of iodine with the other. I reach down to scoop up some water; I almost fall in when I hear voices behind me.

I whip around and spot the Careers, walking towards the woods about a hundred yards away from me. Without hesitation, I drop to the ground, slide into the stream, and submerge myself completely underwater. I clutch onto a large rock, thinking hard. Did the Careers see me? I bolted as soon as I saw them. I have no idea if they saw me slip into the stream. After a few seconds, my lungs begin begging for oxygen. I've never swam before, so I have no idea how long I can go without breathing. I guess this really isn't swimming, though; the water's only two or three feet deep, so it's more like an outdoor bath tub. My begging lungs turn into screaming lungs; I fight the sensation as long as I can, but I'm only holding off the inevitable. I'm going to have to take a breath sometime. My body does need oxygen to survive. Fingers crossed, I let go of the rock and raise my head up above the surface.

I've been spotted. The three Careers begin charging at me. I scramble over to the other side of the river and pull myself up onto the bank. As both of my feet finally land on the wet grass, I feel a sharp pain in my lower back. My midsection kind of hurts too. I look down- the tip of a spear is protruding out of my stomach. I've been hit. I collapse onto the grass and watch the Careers high-five each other in celebration. I don't even know which one of them hit me, but I do know that he or she landed a fatal shot. I don't understand why I'm not crying. I'm dying- shouldn't I be sad? I'm sad for my family and best friend, Teagan. I've let them down; I hope they don't spend the rest of their lives mourning for me. I'm not upset at myself for failing to win. I've accepted that the Hunger Games aren't built for scrawny, thirteen-year-old boys like me. I was never destined to win. It's not an optimistic frame of mind, but it's enough to let me leave this world in peace.

 **Cole Frye (D6 M 18)**

Once we've determined that the coast is clear, Sable and I step out of the woods. We carefully make our way through the clearing, dodging the huge metal structures that loom above us. We keep our eyes peeled for the Careers; we're assuming that their hideout is somewhere in the central clearing of the arena, so they should be close by. So far, I'm content with our current status of the Games, but I'm by no means happy. When it comes to survival, it's been nothing but smooth sailing for me and Sable. We're two days into the Games, and we have plenty of food, water, and supplies. No, our real problem has been trying to communicate with Micah and Jade.

During training, Sable and I struck a deal with the two of them. Jade had orchestrated a plot to take down the Careers and needed our help (and Micah's) to accomplish it. Sable, Micah, and I planned to escape the bloodbath together, wait until day two or three, and then meet up with Jade to take down the Careers. Well, it didn't take us long to screw up that plan. At the bloodbath, Sable and I lost track of Micah and failed to find him at the other side of the haunted house. We've been looking for him for the past two days but haven't seen a single trace of him. Also, we have no idea where to find Jade. Normally, the Careers set up their base near the cornucopia, but since the cornucopia is in the middle of that dreadful haunted maze, they may have decided to set up camp somewhere else. They could be anywhere, which means Sable and I may need to embark on one heck of a wild goose chase before we can put this plan to take down the Careers into action.

A few minutes later, we stumble across the stream and take a break to refill our water bottles. So far, the only water we've seen has been in this central clearing area. That's smart on the Gamemakers' part; it'll certainly draw the tributes closer together and increase the risk of a confrontation. As I stare into the crystal-clear water, I suddenly come up with a plan to locate Jade. "Hey, Sable," I call over to him. "I think we should follow this stream through the clearing as far as we can. The Careers may have their camp set up along the bank somewhere."

"You think so?" Sable squints through the sun at me. "It seems kind of out in the open."

"The Careers don't have to worry about that type of thing," I say. "Everyone knows that the most important key to survival is water. It would make life much easier to just stay within a few yards of it. The Careers wouldn't want to walk a mile just to grab a bottle of water."

"Well, considering that we don't have any better ideas, let's go for it," Sable says, slinging his bags back over his shoulder. We begin our journey downstream, scanning the surrounding area for any signs of human life. If the Careers were hanging out at their camp right now, they wouldn't be that hard to find; their obnoxious voices can be heard from miles away. My guess is they're all out tribute hunting. There's a great chance that we'll find their camp deserted. In that case, we'll have figure out a way to leave Jade a note without the other Careers seeing it. But, if the Careers actually are at their home base, it'll be even tougher to communicate with Jade. We'll have to be even sneakier to attract her attention without any of the Careers noticing. This is going to be a lot tougher than I anticipated.

About ten minutes later, the stream flows into a pond. At last, we finally see two tents erected under a pavilion about twenty feet away from the pond. I tug on Cole's shoulder and point towards it. He nods, and we slowly creep up to it. I can't see any of the Careers; they're probably all out tribute hunting, what I thought originally. About ten feet away from the pavilion, I freeze. The girl from District Two, Mileena, is sitting in one of the tents, scraping behind her fingernails with a knife. "Go, go go!" I urgently whisper to Sable, shoving him towards one of the giant metal structures. We sprint as quickly and as quietly as we can and dive behind a metal beam when we get close enough.

After taking a deep breath, I peer out from behind the beam. Mileena's still sitting there, playing with her knife; she obviously hasn't seen us. "We've got to get farther away," I tell Sable. "The rest of the Careers should be coming back soon. With the four sets of eyes looking around, it'll be impossible to run towards the woods without being spotted.

"I think it's a little too late for that," Sable says, pointing towards the woods as the remaining three Careers emerge.

"Crap. I guess we're gonna have to stay here tonight," I say.

"What about when it gets dark?" Sable asks. "We might be able to slip away then."

"Nah, they have flashlights," I tell him. "And Careers usually have someone keeping watch all night long. I think our best bet is to stay put and hope that it's Jade's turn to guard the camp tomorrow."

"Okay," Sable say. "But I think it's gonna be a long night."

 **Valerie Plasma (D3 F 15)**

Day two is coming to a close, and Muna, Lexi, and I are all alive and doing fine. Excluding the initial trauma of the haunted maze, we really haven't had any major issues. We've had enough food and water, and we haven't confronted any other tributes or mutts. We've spent most of the last two days just walking around, exploring the arena. We've determined that the only source of water is in the central portion of the arena, in the form of a stream. That's why we've decided to set up camp in a tree only about a quarter mile into the woods. Not only is it convenient for when we need water, but it also keeps us more informed about the other tributes, especially the Careers.

Despite having never spoken to them, the three of us know quite a lot about the Careers. We've spied on them a bit; nothing too risky, but enough to get some important information. We know that there's still only four of them- Jade, Mileena, Bebe, Tyroarius- and we've discovered that they don't get along very well. Almost every time we see them, they're arguing about something. We know that their camp is under a pavilion near the pond, and its only defense is whichever Career stays back to keep watch. Now, we don't plan on attacking their camp or anything because we're not idiots, but if we're ever in dire need of some food or supplies, I bet the three of us could overpower one of the weaker Careers and steal from their stores.

The booming chorus of the Panem Anthem interrupts my thoughts. Lexi, Muna and I all gaze into the sky as two new faces are displayed high above us- my district partner, Jazper, and the boy from District Eight. Lexi and Muna gaze at me solemnly, as if expecting some sort of reaction to the news of Jazper's death. I shrug. "I knew that boy was doomed from the start," I tell them. "He had zero brains and was weaker than my five-year-old cousin."

Muna glares at me. "You know, you don't have to be so rude all of the time."

"I'm not being rude," I tell her. "I'm just telling the truth."

"Yeah, but you didn't have to insult the poor boy to do it. Didn't your mom ever tell you that if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all?"

"No, but she did tell me that honesty is the best policy."

"Guys, stop it," Lexi interrupts. "We're not that far away from the Careers, and the last thing we want is for them to hear the two of you bickering."

"Sorry," I whisper. "I'll shut up now."

"Good," Lexi says. "Now, we're low on food and water which means we'll have to go looking for some tomorrow morning. That means we need a good night's rest. So, I suggest the two of you go to sleep while I keep first watch. I'll wake one of you up in about three hours."

"Okay," Muna says as she climbs into her sleeping back. "Goodnight, Lexi." She turns to me and says in a flatter tone, "Goodnight, Valerie."

I don't know what Muna's problem is, but she's had a cold attitude towards me ever since we met during training. I think it's my personality that pisses her off- I've been told by many people that I'm very brutally honest, and I bet it annoys her. I don't look at my honesty as a bad thing, though. Isn't it true that honesty is the best policy? By saying exactly what's on my mind, doesn't that lead to a more truthful, healthier relationship? I'm not going to be a liar or a sugar-coater. If I believe something is true, I'm gonna come out and say so rather than leave others guessing.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I need to stop worrying about my issues with Muna. If I want to make it out of the Games alive, I need all the help I can get, and Muna is certainly a valuable ally. I need to focus on something else- like everyone back at home. I miss them all: my mom, my dad, my older brother Logan, my friends. I miss our games of tag and hide-and-seek in the alleyways of District Three. I never thought my years of sneaking and sprinting through the alleyways would prove useful- my agility definitely came in handy in the haunted maze, and I'm sure it'll be useful in the future. That is, if Muna doesn't find a way to get rid of me over the next day or so. I smirk at the thought, and then slowly, I find myself drifting off to sleep.

 **Recap** :

 _ **The Fallen (2):**_

 **Lindroz Delt (D8 M 16) 16th place**

Killed by a handful of poisonous berries. After eating them, he died within minutes.

 **Jazper Hart (D3 M 13) 15th place**

Killed by Tyroarius. A spear was thrown into his back as he tried to scramble out of the stream.

 _ **Remaining Tributes (14):**_

 _ **D1**_ :

Jade Platinum (GalacticFairydust)

Lumiere Rutherford (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

 _ **D2**_ :

Mileena Nero (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

Tyroarius Striker (Jms2)

 _ **D3**_ :

Valerie Plasma (GalacticFairydust)

 _ **D4**_ :

Bebe Cora (The Girl With the Knives)

Micah Islen (emimawi)

 _ **D6**_ :

Lexi Honda (DobbyTheFreeElf)

Cole Fyre (Ripple237)

 _ **D7**_ :

Cleo Amorite (fifidear)

Kairen Parker (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)

 _ **D9**_ :

Circe Fog (AaronIris34)

 _ **D10**_ :

Muna Taylor (KittyMae98)

Sable Maren (AaronIris34)

 _ **Kills**_ :

 **Tyroarius Stryker (4)** : Mindi, Kiyata, Trenton, Jazper

 **Mileena Nero (2)** : Logan, Jerry

 **Jade Platinum (1)** : Claire

 **Micah Islen (1)** : Jasmine

 _ **Alliances**_ :

Jade/Mileena/Tyroarius/Bebe

Valerie/Lexi/Muna

Lumiere/Cleo

Cole/Sable

Micah

Kairen

Circe

 **Hey guys, remember me? So, yeah, it's been a while since I last updated, and I'm really sorry about that. I won't bore you with all of the specifics, but I've been pretty busy over the past few weeks and haven't had much time to write. But, as I've said before, I'm not giving up on this story- we will have our victor, no matter how long it takes.**

 **Since it's been a while, I put a new poll up. Please do your favorite tributes (and me) a huge favor by voting for them. Although I don't base my kill-off order directly off the poll results, it does influence my choices and aid in my decision making. As the number of tributes dwindles, it becomes harder and harder to decide who to kill off, so I really appreciate every vote I can get.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	21. Day Three

**Day Three:**

 **Tyroarius Stryker (D2 M 18)**

I've decided that I like keeping watch during the last shift the best. That way, I can wake everyone up at the crack of dawn to go tribute hunting. Sunrise is definitely approaching- the sky has been getting brighter by the minute. Last night, Mileena made it very clear that if I wake her up even a second before sunrise, her knife will find its way into my head while I sleep. Now I don't normally give in to Mileena's demands, but I know she's serious with this threat. We really don't get along well, but I know I need to keep her around for at least a few more days.

At last, the golden sun peeks over the horizon line. I jump to my feet as soon as I see it and stroll over to the tents. I grab a pan and my spear along the way. "Everybody up!" I shout as I bang the butt end of my spear against the pan. "Rise and shine, people, it's tribute hunting time!"

I hear a groan from the tent on the right. Mileena peeks her head out and rolls her eyes at me. "Stop that clanging. You're going to break the p-p-pan," she says, failing to stifle a huge yawn. I sigh and chuck the pan in her direction. "Ty!" she shouts as the pan hits the tent just inches away from her head. "What'd you do that for? You could've hit me!"

I shrug. "Believe me, if I was trying to hit you, I would have," I tell her. "I'm just making sure you're awake. We're going tribute hunting in five minutes."

Mileena decides to ignore me. She rolls out of the tent and heads for the food, Bebe and Jade emerging after her. I entertain myself by sharpening my spear as they eat and gather their belongings. Girls take _forever_ to get ready, but I've got to keep my patience. "So who's keeping watch today?" I ask them, my eyes still on my spear.

After a moment of silence, Jade speaks up. "I guess I will."

"Fantastic," I say, completely devoid of any emotion, still looking at my spear. "Bebe, Mileena, you've got thirty seconds."

At last, the three of us set off toward the woods. I really hope I'll be able to add a few more tributes to my kill list. I already have four kills, which has to be the most. "Hey, Bebe," I say. "How many tributes are left?"

"Fourteen," she replies. I swear, this girl doesn't forget a thing.

"Who else, besides us?" I ask.

"Lumiere from One, Valerie from Three, Micah from Four, Lexi and Cole from Six, Cleo and Kairen from Seven, Circe from Nine, and Muna and Sable from Ten," she says. Bebe may be pretty bad with weapons and combat, but she does have her uses.

"Excellent," I tell her. Now, out of those ten tributes, the only possible threats I can see are Micah, Cole, and Sable. But even if they combined forces, there's four of us and three of them. Plus, Cole and Sable haven't even trained for this. This means I have to keep Jade, Mileena, and Bebe around until at least two of those threats are gone. Never in a million years did I think I'd be stuck in the Games with three girls as allies. And never did I think it would be this terrible. I'd be able to handle one girl, but three is just plain annoying. I'm so tired of hearing about clothes and crushes and nails and hair and whatever else teenage girls like to talk about.

We cross under another giant metal contraption and I wonder for the umpteenth time what the heck these things are. They're all huge and made of metal, but they're all shaped differently: one looks like a giant wheel, another looks like a train track, another looks like some sort of claw thing. Bebe has said that she thinks they're structures people used to use in the days before Panem, which sounds reasonable. We have no clue what the purpose of these structures were, though, and I doubt that we'll ever find out. They really don't affect us at all, which is weird because the Gamemakers never put anything into the arena without a good reason. The only thing the metal structures have done is tower over us during our daily walk to the forest for tribute hunting.

 **Sable Maren (D10 M 18)**

About ten minutes after the three Careers leave to go tribute hunting, Cole and I step out from behind the metal beam and walk toward the Career camp. Jade spots us coming almost immediately. She raises her spear, but as soon as she recognizes our faces, she drops it. "I was beginning to worry you'd never show up," she tells us, looking relieved. "Where's Micah?"

"We got separated at the bloodbath," Cole says. "We've been trying to find him but haven't yet."

"So what's the plan?" I ask Jade. "Are we knocking out the Careers today or what?"

"Unfortunately, Micah is crucial to our success," Jade says. "We really need to find him before trying anything. Right now, it's just three-on-three, so our only advantage would be the element of surprise. And no offense, but the two of you have never trained- Tyroarius, and probably Mileena too, would chop you guys to pieces."

"Yeah," Cole says with a sigh. "So that's what Sable and I have to do today- track down Micah."

Jade nods. "I had hoped to attack the Careers today, but tomorrow can work too. So here's the plan- tomorrow morning, I'll tell the Careers that my ankle is bothering me or something and offer to take watch for another day. Then, while they're out, you two and Micah will hide in the tents. We'll wait until the Careers return to camp, and when they do, we attack."

"Sounds good," I say. "We'll do our best to find Micah today, or early tomorrow by the latest."

"Yeah, try to get here tomorrow during early afternoon at the latest. That way, we have plenty of time to review the plan, prepare our weapons, and hide in the tents before the other three come back."

"So how are we going to match up when the Careers attack?" Cole asks. "What's our game plan during the attack itself?"

"I was thinking Micah fights Ty, I fight Bebe, and the two of you fight Mileena," Jade says. Bebe isn't too good at combat, so I should be able to kill her quickly and then assist either you two with Mileena or Micah with Ty."

"I like it," Cole says. "I can't believe we're finally going through with this."

"I know," Jade agrees. "If we succeed, our victory will be talked about for centuries to come. No one ever has the guts to eliminate the Careers so quickly, but getting them out of the picture is crucial if any of us want to win the Games."

After a moment's pause, I speak up. "I guess Cole and I will be off then. We've got about thirty hours to locate Micah in this huge arena, so we've definitely got our work cut out for us."

Jade nods. "Good luck. If you're not back by mid-afternoon tomorrow, I'll assume you didn't find Micah and the plan's off."

"Don't worry," I assure her. "We'll find him."

After saying goodbye, Cole and I set off toward the woods. "So do you think Jade's telling the truth about all of this?" Cole asks once we step into the trees. "For all we know, this could be just the Careers' plan to lure their three biggest threats to their camp and kill them."

I think it over for a second before speaking. "I'm suspicious too, but there's just something about Jade that makes me think she's sincere. We may not know her well, but I already know she's not like the other Careers. She's humbler, smarter, and nicer than the other three Careers combined."

"I agree that she's different, but how do we know that she's not just a really good actress? We know that she's smart- how can we be sure she's not deceiving us all?"

"Unfortunately, we can't be sure," I say. "We're definitely taking a chance here. We have to get rid of the Careers, though- that needs to be our number one priority. If the Careers are still in the picture, neither of us will win, period. That's why we've got to take this chance and trust that Jade isn't duping us."

"That's what I thought you'd say," Cole says. "And I hate to say it, but you're right. We've got to get rid of the Careers. And we've got to do it as soon as possible."

 **Lumiere Rutherford (D1 M 15)**

Ignoring the persistent groaning in my stomach, I walk toward the edge of the woods with Cleo. Much to our displeasure, it's time for another trip down to the center of the arena to collect some water from the stream. We've been wandering around the woods for three days now, and I'm starting to think the hunch Cleo had on day one is correct: the stream in the center of the arena is our only source of water. That really sucks cause it's completely out in the open, and I'm sure the Careers are camped out nearby. Each time we go back to the stream, we're taking a huge risk, but unfortunately, it's something we have to do if we want to keep surviving.

If the Careers were smart, they'd station themself along the stream and just wait for the tributes to come to them. Since it seems to be the only water source, every tribute will have to visit it at least once every few days. Instead of wasting their energy tribute hunting, the Careers could just sit on the riverbank and twiddle their thumbs as they wait for their prey to appear out of the woods. Although this seems like the most logical plan, I do know that the average Career is about as dumb as a stump. Therefore, this possibly doesn't scare me much. Chances are, the Careers are deep in the woods right now, hunting for tributes, nowhere near us.

Excluding the bloodbath and the haunted maze, Cleo and I haven't seen any action at all. We haven't run into any other tributes, mutts, or Gamemaker traps over the past three days. We're surviving pretty well, which is mostly because of Cleo. She worked on berry identification a lot during training, and she's been able to find a few bushes for us to scavenge off of. We may not have enough food to stop the groaning in my stomach, but we have enough to keep us alive. It worries me a bit, how everything's been running smoothly for us. I'm scared the Gamemakers will decide we're too boring and send a clan of mutts after us. There's nothing we can do about that, though, so we'll just have to keep on surviving.

Cleo has been a great ally to have- and not only because she's good at finding food. Cleo doesn't talk much, which I'm perfectly okay with because neither do I. Unlike many people I've known, she doesn't force me into a conversation or ask me questions that I don't want to answer. Most of the past three days has been spent in silence, but I already feel like I know Cleo more than I know some people I saw every day in District One. There's a certain quality of constant sadness that I think the two of us share. I can tell she's had some tough times in her life, just like I've had. Even though she doesn't want to share her sorrows with me, that's okay because I don't want to talk about the terrible things I've experienced either. We seem to understand each other well without really trying, which is reassuring- I never would've imagined I'd have such a great companion out here in the Games.

I'm jerked back into reality as I realize that the center of the arena is right in front of us. Cleo and I walk up to the edge of the tree-line and pause as we look out at the stream. We each drop our bags on the ground and Cleo pulls out the two water bottle and hands them both to me. Then, she returns to the bag and grabs the pot. "We should fill this up as well," she says. "The more water we have, the longer it'll be until we have to return to the stream." She stands up and scans the clearing, ensuring that the coast is clear. "Ready?"

I nod, and the two of us sprint out into the clearing, looking and listening for any sign of danger. Thankfully, we seem to be alone out here- just us and the huge metal structures we're dashing under. We reach the steam at about the same time. I pop the two caps off and begin filling the bottles as Cleo dunks the pot in. She finishes first and begins sprinting back to the woods as I twist the caps back onto the bottles. I follow her a moment later, my lungs burning, but still running as fast as I can. At last, I reach the woods and almost smile in relief. I drop the bottles and lean against a tree, still feeling like my heart's about to beat out of my chest. When I regain my breath, I turn around to see Cleo busy at work with the pot. She's taken out our fishing line and is tying it around the handles of the pot.

"It's to keep the lid on the pot when it's in my bag," Cleo says when she realizes that I'm watching her. "I've already added the iodine." She tosses me the tiny bottle we received as a sponsor gift after we collected water the first time. I add a few drops, swirl the water around, and sit down. It was smart of Cleo to think of using the fishing line- we can't really use it anyway, and we don't want the water spilling all over her bag. However, we don't have a knife to cut the line with, so we have to spend half an hour looking for a sharp enough rock. At last, with our water purified and secured in our bags, we set off into the woods, survival the only thing on our minds.

 **Lexi Honda (D6 F 15)**

I am so tired of Val and Muna's bickering. I don't know if my head, which is already aching from lack of water, can take another argument. It's driving me insane! Every time Val says something annoying (which I've decided is about every thirty seconds, on average) Muna _has_ to speak up and tell Val how wrong she is. And then it's my job to settle their little arguments and remind them that we're in the Hunger Games and making lots of noise is generally not a good idea. To be completely honest, I wouldn't be surprised if the tributes on the other end of the arena could hear them.

Our alliance is crumbling fast, and I'm the only one trying to hold it together. I've asked myself multiple times if it's even worth keeping it intact. I know I'm strong enough to throw a decent punch, so what's stopping me from stealing the supplies from Muna and Valerie, and running away to survive on my own? Every time the two of them fight, this crosses my mind, but the truth of the matter is I just can't do it. As much as it pains me to admit it, I need the two of them if I want to get anywhere near the victor's crown. There's power in numbers, after all, and it would be impossible for me to do well without Val's weapons and survival skills and Muna's intelligence and toughness. We may have a dysfunctional alliance, but I think we all know that it's a necessary one. I just have to keep reminding myself (and Val and Muna) to keep a cool head and that it'll all be worth it in the end.

"I think we should start heading back to our tree," Muna says, interrupting my thoughts. "We've been wandering through the woods for a long time, and it's starting to get dark."

I nod, and we begin trudging in the direction of our camp. Today's hunt for food was not successful at all. Although we did spot a few small mammals, we failed to kill any of them with our weapons. We did find about two handfuls of berries, but they're not nearly enough to sustain us for a full day. We'll have to ramp up our efforts tomorrow because our food supply is almost depleted. Between Muna and Val's issues and our food issues, it's been a really crappy day, so I'm glad to be headed back to camp. I'm ready to rest up for a new day- a day that will hopefully be less miserable than today.

Val stops in her tracks, a concerned look covering her face. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Muna snaps.

"I don't know," Valerie says. "It sounded almost like... a voice."

"A voice?" I ask anxiously.

"I don't see anyone," Muna says, glancing around nervous. "Are you sure you're not hearing things?"

"Shush," I urge Muna. "I think I hear it too."

The three of us fall silent as we look around apprehensively. Moments later, the source of the sound is revealed. I gasp as three Careers step out from behind a tree, silver weapons gleaming in their hands. The Careers don't notice us immediately- I try to force myself, Muna, and Val behind a giant oak tree, but it's too late.

"Hey!" A male voice shouts. "There's three of them right there!"

Muna, Val, and I turn around and sprint as fast as we can away from the Careers. "Split... up," I gasp between breaths at Muna and Val. "Better... survival... chance." I veer to the right and loose sight of them.

"They're splitting up!" the male Career shouts. "Pick one and go after her!"

My lungs soon feel like they're going to burst. I've never run this much in my life. I need to check if someone's really following me. I turn my head over my shoulder and see that the girl from District Four is chasing me. I think she's the weakest of the Careers. Maybe I can outrun her. I turn my head back around and... smack! I plow straight into a tree.

My head's going to split open. I collapse to the ground and yell in pain and frustration. I need to get up and keep running. I try to stand up but the world spins, and I fall back to the ground. I press a hand to my forehead and feel a layer of warm, sticky blood gushing out of my wound. I roll around and try to locate the girl chasing after me. I see a flash of movement, but my vision is spinning too badly to see anything else. There's a knife in my pocket. I pull it out as I feel a sharp pain in my side. I look down and see a gleaming weapon sticking out of my stomach. The girl has caught up to me. Her face spins around in front of me, the last image I make out before everything turns black.

 **Micah Islen (D4 M 17)**

So far, the Games haven't gone exactly as planned. Cole, Sable, and I were separated at the bloodbath, and I haven't managed to track either of them down. If we had stuck together and met up with Jade, the other Careers would likely be dead by now. We had hoped to get rid of them by the end of day three, but unless the cannon that fired a few minutes ago belonged to one of them, they're all alive and likely doing fine. It's imperative that I find Cole and Sable soon and get this plan underway. As the days go on, the chances rise that either Cole, Sable, Jade, or I will die, making the plan nearly impossible for the rest of us. Also, it's still early enough in the Games that the Careers won't expect a thing. We need to act now, or a Career will likely win the Games again.

Right now, it seems that the only thing going well for me is my survival out here in the elements. I've managed to stockpile enough food and water for at least another two days. I haven't run into any mutts or other tributes, and I don't have any wounds or illnesses. In the past few hours, my primary focus has shifted from my survival to finding Cole and Sable. Their strength and combat skills are invaluable. At the moment, they're much more important than food and water because I know that if I can't find them, I won't win the Hunger Games.

I direct my attention to the sky as the Panem Anthem begins to blare across the arena. Tonight, only one face shines from above: the girl from District Six. Once the anthem ends, I lower my head and continue my walk through the woods. Moments after the anthem ends, though, I hear another sound- a voice. "... but I didn't really know her well, even though she was my district partner. She definitely seemed like a nice girl. She seemed pretty tough, too, so I'm not surprised that she managed to make it to day three, even if she was a bit young."

My axe nearly drops out of my hand as I recognize that voice. "Cole? Sable?" I call out cautiously.

"Micah? Is that you, bud?" Seconds later, Cole and Sable appear from behind a cluster of bushes. They burst into huge smiles when they spot me. Cole runs over and claps me on the back. "I knew we'd find you eventually. Where have you been?"

"Just hopelessly wandering around the woods," I tell him. "So what's the plan? Have you guys contacted Jade?"

"We saw her this morning," Sable says. "Our job was to find you so that we can put our plan into motion tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? That's awesome. So what are we going to do?"

"Jade's going to volunteer to keep watch of the Career camp tomorrow while the rest of them go hunting," Cole begins. "While they're out, the three of us will meet up with Jade and hide out in the Careers' tents. When the Careers finally return from their long day of tribute hunting, we'll attack."

"I like it," I tell them. "Can you imagine what'll happen if this works? We'll be heroes for all of the outer districts. We'll make sure that there's no way a Career can win the Games this year."

"That's the plan, at least," Cole says. "But we've can totally do this."

"So do you guys want to get some sleep?" Sable asks. "It's starting to get dark, and we need to rest up for tomorrow."

"Sounds good," I say. "Want to crash in that pile of bushes over there? It's not super sheltered, but it's better than nothing."

"Yeah, that looks fine," Cole says. The three of us walk over and lay out our sleeping bags. In no time at all, I fall asleep, still thinking of the great things we could accomplish tomorrow.

 **Recap** :

 _ **The Fallen (1):**_

 **Lexi Honda (D6 F 15) 14th Place**

Killed by Bebe. As she was trying to flee from the Careers, she ran into tree and suffered a concussion. Bebe eventually caught up and stabbed a sword into her heart.

 _ **Remaining Tributes (13):**_

 _ **D1**_ :

Jade Platinum (GalacticFairydust)

Lumiere Rutherford (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

 _ **D2**_ :

Mileena Nero (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

Tyroarius Striker (Jms2)

 _ **D3**_ :

Valerie Plasma (GalacticFairydust)

 _ **D4**_ :

Bebe Cora (The Girl With the Knives)

Micah Islen (emimawi)

 _ **D6**_ :

Cole Fyre (Ripple237)

 ** _D7_ :**

Cleo Amorite (fifidear)

Kairen Parker (WizardDemigodGladerGatekeeper)

 _ **D9**_ :

Circe Fog (AaronIris34)

 _ **D10**_ :

Muna Taylor (KittyMae98)

Sable Maren (AaronIris34)

 _ **Kills**_ :

 **Tyroarius Stryker (4):** Mindi, Kiyata, Trenton, Jazper

 **Mileena Nero (2):** Logan, Jerry

 **Jade Platinum (1)** : Claire

 **Bebe Cora (1)** : Lexi

 **Micah Islen (1):** Jasmine

 _ **Alliances**_ :

Jade/Mileena/Tyroarius/Bebe

Micah/Cole/Sable

Lumiere/Cleo

Valerie

Kairen

Circe

Muna

 **Hey guys, sorry for the late update again, but as you can probably tell, next chapter's going to be a big one. There will be plenty of action and multiple deaths, so hopefully, that'll motivate me to write this chapter quicker than I wrote the past two. Thanks to everyone who's still sticking with this story, despite the inconsistent updates.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	22. Day Four

**Day Four:**

 **Mileena Nero (D2 F 18)**

For the third morning in a row, I wake to the sounds of Tyroarius's loud and obnoxious voice. "Everybody up! Everybody up! The sun has risen and it's time to go tribute hunting!" I groan and slowly crawl out of my tent. Since Bebe and Jade have already taken a turn guarding the camp, it's probably going to be my turn today. It's going to be the most boring day of my life. There's literally nothing to do here expect eat and think. Maybe I'll just lie back down and sleep for another eight hours.

I munch on a packet of dried fruit as Tyroarius impatiently twirls his spear in his hands. "So," he eventually says. "Who's keeping watch today?"

Much to my surprise, Jade speaks up. "Actually, I tripped over a backpack yesterday and rolled my ankle. It doesn't hurt much, but it did get a bit stiff overnight. It's only a mild sprain, but I'd rather not risk hurting it."

Bebe eyes Jade suspiciously. "Really? Why didn't you mention anything about it yesterday?"

"I had hoped it would heal overnight," Jade says. "And I didn't want you guys to worry or think I was weak. Believe me, I'd rather be out there tribute hunting, but I can't risk making my injury worse."

"Sounds good to me," I say before Bebe can question Jade any further. "When are we leaving, Ty?"

"Two minutes," he replies. I immediately begin scrambling around camp, quickly throwing together a bag for the day. Since I hadn't expected to be hunting today, I'm not exactly prepared. However, with Tyroarius's loud, impatient voice yelling in my ear, I manage to get the job done. Exactly a hundred and twenty seconds later, Ty, Bebe, and I set off for the woods.

Although I've let the issue go for the time being, I'm still very annoyed by Tyroarius's leadership role in this alliance. I hate being told what to do by such a stupid, self-centered, jerk; I should be the one leading this alliance, not him. Ever since training, though, Bebe has been urging me to refrain from confronting Ty and demanding leadership of the alliance. "You know he won't listen to you," she told me a few days ago. "It's unfortunate, but it's the truth. If we want our alliance to remain strong and unified, we can't start fights among ourselves."

I hate taking advice from other people, but I've decided that I do need to keep things mellow between me and Ty. I want to be the one calling the shots but not at the cost of our alliance. So, I plan on biding my time, probably until the final eight or so. Then, I'll band together with Bebe and Jade to eliminate Ty and level the playing field for the rest of us. He is undeniably the biggest threat in this game- I'm glad to have him on my side now, but I know the four of us will have to turn on each other eventually. That's why I plan on striking him first to catch him off guard. As soon as the time is right, I'll get my revenge.

"Hey!" Ty's loud voice interrupts my thoughts. "Is that a tribute?" I look up just in time to see the back of a blond head disappear behind a tree.

Without another word, Bebe, Ty, and I sprint toward where the head disappeared. Moments later, the tribute reappears about a hundred feet in front of us. Ty throws his spear, missing his target by about ten feet. He curses loudly and slows down to pull another spear out of his bag. Meanwhile, Bebe and I have significantly shortened the gap between us and the fleeing tribute. Bebe may be a bit quicker than me, but my spear is much better-suited for killing than her sword. When I decide that I'm close enough, I heave my spear at the tribute. I hold my breath as it sails through the air. Seconds later it lands with a thunk in the tribute's head.

"Nice shot," Bebe tells me as we approach the wounded tribute. As soon as I spot the kid lying on the ground with a spear protruding out of his head, I know that he's got only seconds left to live. Sure enough, a loud boom echoes throughout the arena a moment later.

"Twelve down, eleven more to go," Ty calls from behind me. He's finally caught up to us and looks pretty pissed that he missed out on such an easy kill. "Who is he?" he spits at Bebe.

"Kairen Walker, District Seven," she replies. "He was seventeen and earned a fairly impressive score of seven during training."

"Not bad," Ty says, "but we've certainly got bigger threats in this arena that need to be taken out. He pauses for a second, seemingly lost in thought, before continuing. "Well, it's no use just standing here. Pull your spear out of the kid's head, and let's go."

Once I've retrieved my spear from the tribute's body, the three of us continue our hike through the woods. I'm excited to have gotten my third kill- mostly because it means I'm only one kill behind Tyroarius. I'm sure that's why he looks so pissed. He can't stand the idea of a girl having more kills than him, so he's going to do everything in his power to make sure that I don't pass him on the leader board. I will pass him, though, as soon as Bebe, Jade, and I decide that Ty has overstayed his welcome in the arena. As soon as I kill Ty, I'll shoot straight to the top of the leader board and prove once and for all that I am the stronger Career.

 **Cole Fyre (D6 M 17)**

Well, today's the day. In just a few short hours, Sable, Micah, Jade, and I could make one of the biggest and most ambitious moves in Hunger Games history. That is, if everything goes as planned. As long as Jade doesn't flop on us, I think we've got a fair shot at taking out all three Careers- and even taking out just one or two of them would still be a huge win. I haven't felt this hopeful and anxious about anything in my whole life. This whole situation has helped me realize that I do have a path to victory buried somewhere. If we manage to take out the Careers, I've got as good as a shot as anyone at making it to the end.

"You guys about ready to go?" Sable calls to Micah and I. We've spent the past few minutes packing up our supplies, so it's about time we start our hike to the center of the arena.

"Yup," Micah says as I nod. "Let's go."

Our hike passes without any real excitement. The three of us are relatively quiet people, so we maintain a steady silence throughout. It's very boring, actually; all we can do is walk and think. My mind cannot stop buzzing about our planned attack tonight. Sable and I are matched up against Mileena from District Two. Although she's not quite as strong as Tyroarius, she's just as deadly as him, possessing some of the best weapons skills in the arena. Despite all of her training, though, I think Sable and I can take her down.

A while later, we arrive in the center of the arena and begin to search for the Careers' camp. We follow the brook downstream until we finally spot the pavilion. We approach the camp cautiously but relax when Jade appears from within a tent with a smile on her face. "I knew you guys would find him," she says to Sable and I. "Fantastic. Now we've got everything and everyone we need to put this plan into motion." She walks over to the giant pile of supplies located in the center of the camp. "You guys need anything- food, weapons, other supplies?"

My stomach lurches at the mention of food. I haven't had packaged, Capitol-made food in four days- just some berries and small mammals. It's enough to keep us from starving, but my tastebuds have been longing for some flavor. "Umm... I guess some food would be nice," I tell her.

"Help yourself to whatever you can find," Jade says, gesturing towards the large pile. "Just don't mess up the pile too much. Otherwise, Bebe, Mileena, and Ty could become suspicious upon their return."

Digging through the pile, I come up with a package of dried fruit and a can of soup. Sable finds some crackers and another can of soup, and Micah picks out a protein bar. I'm amazed by how much food and supplies the Careers have stockpiled from the bloodbath. With a jolt, I realize that the whole mountain of supplies may all be ours tonight. If we manage to defeat the Careers, this camp and everything in it will belong to me, Sable, Jade, and Micah.

Once we've finished eating, Jade runs through the plan one last time. "The three of you will hide in the tents until Ty, Bebe, and Mileena return from tribute hunting. Since we want to catch them off guard, we'll wait until they grab some food and sit down to eat. As soon as they're all seated, the three of you will jump out of the tents and attack. Sable and Cole, you two are going to fight Mileena. Micah, you've got Tyroarius, and I've got Bebe. Bebe should be a pretty easy kill, so I'll be able to assist all of you when we're done. Hopefully, by the time the Panem Anthem plays tonight, Milleena, Bebe, and Ty will have earned the honor of having their faces displayed in the sky."

The plan sounds pretty solid, but there's still a huge wild card in this whole ordeal: Jade. What if this is all a big trap devised by Jade and the rest of the Careers to take out the three strongest non-Careers? Micah, Sable, and I certainly don't stand a chance against the Careers unless Jade flips to our side. As we climb into one of the tents to await the Careers' arrival, a bold idea comes to mind. What if we just eliminate the wild card altogether and take the Careers on three versus three? A second later, I push the thought from my mind. I'm not a Career- I'm not going to play dirty like that. After all, we need Jade. If she's really on our side, it would be pretty counterproductive to kill her.

 **Muna Taylor (D10 F 15)**

It's been almost twenty-four hours since the Careers broke up my alliance. By some miracle, when the Careers found me, Lexi, and Val, I managed to outrun whoever was chasing me. I had a pretty decent head start and sprinted until my body collapsed. I hate running from fights, but I'd rather be safe than dead. Later that evening, I was surprised to see Lexi's face shining in the sky. I didn't even hear her cannon- I bet I was too focused on sprinting away from the Careers to process what I was hearing. I'm sad that Lexi has gone, but at the same time, she needed to die eventually. I just wasn't ready for it to happen so soon.

According to last night's Panem Anthem, Valerie also survived the Careers' attack. Valerie and I split up as we fled from the Careers- and I have no desire to meet back up with her. Without Lexi, Val and I would have a fight a minute. The girl has absolutely no filter, and I really can't stand her. I'm much better off on my own. I don't have too many survival items, but I have enough to get by: a water bottle, a sleeping bag, a piece of rope, a pack of matches, and ten throwing knives.

My real issue is finding food. I did get a 90% on the berry identification test, but I haven't found many berry bushes today. I've also been trying to catch some small mammals with my throwing knives, but I've failed at that too. I've had a really crappy twenty-four hours and been struggling to keep my spirits up. I remind myself, though, that I should be glad to be alive. Half of the tributes have already died, and somehow, I'm one of the remaining twelve.

It's crazy that the family interviews are only four deaths away, and we're only on day four. Yes, the deaths should slow down from now on, but it just amazes me how fast the Games are moving along. I would give anything to be at home in District Ten, watching the Games on television with my family. I never could've imagined how difficult the Games are. My body aches from hours and hours of trudging through the woods. I've know I've burned many more calories than I've consumed, so I need to get some sustenance in me before my body starts to break down.

Exhausted, I decide it's about time to call it a day. Wandering around in the woods aimlessly is doing nothing but for me except burning calories. Even though there's still a few hours left in the day, I need to find a place to rest and decide how I'm going to attack tomorrow. It takes me a couple of minutes, but I eventually spot a decent-looking tree to climb up into. I sit down on a branch, wrap my sleeping bag around me, and open my bag to take inventory of my food and water.

I discover that my water bottle only has a few sips left, so I'll have to take a trip to the stream tomorrow. For food, I have less than a handful of berries and a few mint leaves left, so I'll need more of that too. Although today's been rough, tomorrow's a new day with new opportunities to get my hands on some food. I know I have the ability to catch myself a squirrel or other small mammal to eat. I've made it so far already- it would be a shame to be taken out of the Games by an inability to find food.

 **Jade Platinum (D1 F 17)**

I sit on a crate by the pile of supplies, my head leaning against my spear. Mileena, Bebe, and Ty should be arriving any minute now. I still cannot believe I'm about to do this. I hate playing dirty, but it'll all be worth it if a few of the biggest threats in the arena are killed. If even one of them dies, my plotting and scheming will all be worth it. My only goal is to get out of this arena alive, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that.

I wonder what Panem will think of me when this is all said and done. Will I be labeled a snake for my plotting and manipulation, or will I be labeled a hero for taking out the biggest threats? I guess it'll vary by district- I don't think the ones I'm screwing over will be too impressed. At the end of the day, though, the only thing that matters is my life. I could care less what Panem thinks of me- all I need to worry about is winning the Hunger Games.

The sun has almost reached the tree line, and there's still no sign of Mileena, Ty, and Bebe. I stand up and walk over to the tents. "You guys okay in there?" I ask.

"Yeah, we're good," Micah's voice replies. "Can you see the Careers yet?"

"Nope. Make sure you're ready, though, cause they'll be back any minute now." I walk back over to the supply pile, and the feelings of boredom and anxiety return.

At last, the three of them appear at the edge of the woods. "They're coming," I say. "Get ready."

Two minutes later, the Careers arrive at camp. "Get anyone?" I ask Ty as he sets his spear down.

"The boy from District Seven," he replies. "No sign of Micah or any of the other threats." He begins to scavenge through the pile for some food, Bebe and Mileena following him. I look over at the tent and nod.

A second later, Micah, Cole, and Sable burst out of the tent. And all hell breaks loose.

I sprint over to a shocked Bebe, spear in my hand. She manages to get a hold of herself and unsheath her sword just in time. She blocks my spear with an upward thrust of her sword. I fire back with jab after jab, eventually landing a strike on her shoulder. She winces but continues to fight back, blocking nearly every one of my jabs. I can feel her wearing down. Weaponry is not her specialty, and she'll pay dearly for that.

I knock her on the side of the head with my spear, and she drops her sword. She scrambles to the ground to pick it up, but it's too late for her. As her fingers grasp the handle of her sword, I thrust my spear right through her midsection. Bebe gasps and looks down at the sea of red flowing out of her, coming to the realization that she won't survive this blow. She looks back up at me with cold eyes. "I trusted you," she says, struggling to articulate every word. "How could you do this to us?"

Before I can summon any sort of intelligent thought, Bebe collapses. For a few seconds, I can't move, the image of her cold, accusing stare still burned into my eyes. She's right- I've just pulled off the biggest betrayal of any Hunger Games I've ever watched. And at the moment, I can't tell if it's a good thing or a bad thing. If I manage to make it out of this arena alive, I know Bebe's eyes will haunt me forever. She may be my second kill, but her death felt so much more... _real_.

Bebe's cannon fires, jolting me back to my senses. I need to get myself back in this fight. I glance over at Micah and Ty; Micah seems to be holding his own against such a difficult opponent. He may be bleeding out of his left arm, but Ty's got a nice gash on his cheek. I look over at Sable and Cole, deep in battle with Mileena. It's hard to fight two people at once, but she's doing an impressive job on them- which is exactly why we need to get rid of her. I think I'll help them finish Mileena off first. Then, the four of us can combine our efforts to destroy Tyroarius.

"Come to join the party?" Mileena spits out at me as I jog over. She's clearly struggling to fight off Cole's mace and Sable's bowstaff all at once.

"I'd love to," I say with a sickeningly sweet smile. It doesn't take long for Sable, Cole, and I to take down Mileena. With three against one, it's hardly a contest. Cole manages to land the final blow, striking Mileena in the side of the head with his mace. She falls to the ground and dies almost instantly. A few seconds later, a cannon blasts loudly in the distance- two down, one to go.

Tyroarius Stryker (D1 M 18)

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the boy from District Six strike his mace right into Mileena's head. She certainly won't be recovering from that one. I return my full attention to Micah, knowing that I have just seconds to finish him off. I fake low and strike high, landing my spear right in his chest. I missed his heart, and it's not a very deep cut, but it still may be enough to kill him. Micah falls back and ducks behind the supply pile. My time's almost up. I can't get out of here without a kill.

Micah has rolled himself out of sight, and I don't have time to find him. Mileena's cannon goes off, and I glance over at the three tributes standing over her body. One of them will have to do. I aim for the boy from District Six, the one who killed Mileena, and fire my spear. By the time he turns his head to look over at me, it's too late. The spear lands right in his chest, and he collapses. Jade and other boy stand there, frozen in shock, as I turn around and sprint away. A spear flies by my head, but no one follows me. It's not surprising- they've got two dying tributes to tend to.

A cannons fires right before I reach the woods. I'm guessing that's for the boy from District Six. I glance back around and glimpse the camp in the distance- _my_ camp. The boy from Ten is still leaning over the boy from Six, but Jade has walked over to take care of Micah. As I watch, a sponsor gift floats down to Jade- probably some sort of medicine for Micah. Sable finally stands up and leaves his ally, walking over to Jade and Micah. I can't see what they're doing from this distance, but I'm assuming they're applying some sort of medicine to Micah's chest. Unfortunately, it looks like he's going to survive this one.

I'm glad I was able to take out one tribute, but I should've aimed my spear for Jade instead. I wasn't thinking- the only thing on my mind at the moment was Mileena's death. That traitorous bitch needs to pay for her actions. We trusted her- we gave her food, protection, and security, and she tried to kill us for it. Now, my allies and most of my food and supplies are gone. Thankfully, I hadn't taken my backpack off when Jade began her attack, so I still have my extra spear, three packages of food, two water bottles (one filled, one almost empty), a flashlight, and a first aid kit. It's not a lot, but it'll sustain me until I take back the Career camp.

I'm not going to wander very far from the clearing; I plan to stay less than a hundred yards into the woods. I'll be keeping my eyes on the Career camp, waiting for the right moment to strike. If I'm lucky, two of them will go out tribute hunting tomorrow, leaving just one back at camp. Even if they leave Micah behind, I know I can defeat him. Today, I was caught off guard, and I didn't have much time, which were the only reasons I couldn't kill him. If I turn the tables on Micah and catch him off guard, there'll be nothing he can do to stop me.

I pause my hike and look up into the sky as the Panem Anthem begins. First, Mileena's face shines from above. Although we fought a lot, she was a strong ally and a fierce competitor. Next comes Bebe. She was definitely the weakest Career, though she did have a sharp mind. After her comes the boy from District Six- my kill. He was one of the strongest non-Careers, so I'm very glad he's gone. The boy from District Seven finishes it out. I don't think he was much of a threat, but every death means I'm one step closer to victory.

Four is an abnormally high number of deaths for day four. Only nine tributes remain, but I forget who a few of them are. That was Bebe's job, to keep track of all of the tributes. I know there's me, Jade, Micah, the boy from Six, the boy from One, and the two girls we almost killed yesterday, but I have no clue who the remaining two are. They can't be huge threats, or I'd be able to remember them. The Games have definitely been moving along quickly- and if I have anything to say about it, the intensity and rapid pace will remain.

I don't have any sort of sleeping bag or blanket, so it's going to be a cold one tonight. I don't think sleeping in a tree would be very comfortable, so I'll do my best to remain on the ground. Eventually, I find a nice-looking patch of bushes. I brush some leaves over myself and pull my hood over my head. It won't keep me very warm, so hopefully the Gamemakers will take it easy with the AC tonight.

 **Recap** :

 _ **The Fallen (4):**_

 **Kairen Parker (D7 M 17) 13th Place**

Killed by Mileena. A spear was thrown into his head as he ran from the Careers.

 **Bebe Cora (D4 F 17) 12th Place**

Killed by Jade. A spear was thrust into her midsection, puncturing multiple vital organs.

 **Mileena Nero (D2 F 18) 11th Place**

Killed by Cole. After she fought a fierce battle against three tributes, a mace was swung into her head.

 **Cole Fyre (D6 M 17) 10th Place**

Killed by Tyroarius. A spear was thrown into his head while he was preparing to pull his mace out of Mileena's head.

 _ **Remaining Tributes (9):**_

 _ **D1**_ :

Jade Platinum (GalacticFairydust)

Lumiere Rutherford (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

 _ **D2**_ :

Tyroarius Striker (Jms2)

 _ **D3**_ :

Valerie Plasma (GalacticFairydust)

 _ **D4**_ :

Micah Islen (emimawi)

 _ **D7**_ :

Cleo Amorite (fifidear)

 _ **D9**_ :

Circe Fog (AaronIris34)

 _ **D10**_ :

Muna Taylor (KittyMae98)

Sable Maren (AaronIris34)

 _ **Kills**_ :

 **Tyroarius Stryker (5)** : Mindi, Kiyata, Trenton, Jazper, Cole

 **Mileena Nero (3)** : Logan, Jerry, Kairen

 **Jade Platinum (2)** : Claire, Bebe

 **Bebe Cora (1)** : Lexi

 **Micah Islen (1)** : Jasmine

 **Cole Fyre (1)** : Mileena

 _ **Alliances**_ :

Jade/Micah/Sable

Lumiere/Cleo

Tyroarius

Valerie

Circe

Muna

 **I'd like to dedicate this chapter to the giant snowstorm that canceled four days of school, allowing me to finally finish up this chapter. I've been looking forward to this chapter for a long time, so I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Once we get down to eight tributes (which should be only one chapter away), I'll open up a new poll. I'll also have a chapter or two for the family interviews, and then we'll get right back into the Games.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	23. Day Five

**Day Five:**

 **Sable Maren (D10 M 18)**

For the first time since I entered the arena, I don't wake up in a cave or a tree or a pile of leaves- I wake up in a tent. I never could've imagined I'd be sleeping in the Careers' camp on day five of the Hunger Games. I've gotten extremely lucky to be in this situation with tributes who were willing to shake up the Games by overthrowing the Careers. Especially Jade- she was the mastermind behind this whole thing, willing to betray her allies to purge the arena of the biggest threats. It was definitely a smart move on her part- now, Tyroarius is her only true enemy.

I think yesterday marked a huge turning point in the momentum of the Games. After all, two of the Careers are now dead, and one is stuck in the wilderness with virtually no food or supplies. Although there's only one of him and three of us, Tyroarius worries me a bit. After what we did to him, he's definitely out for blood. I'm sure he's close by, waiting for us to have a moment of weakness so that he can strike. As long as we stick together and keep our eyes open, though, we should be okay.

As soon as I step out of the tent, my eyes are drawn to the patch of blood-stained grass about fifteen feet away from the supply pile. Cole's death is going to haunt me for the rest of my life (however long that may be). For the past ten days or so, he's been the only one I've been able to put my complete trust in. He was a great guy, and I know his family will miss him dearly. Yes, at the end of the day, only one can win, but I just wasn't ready for Cole to go. Hopefully, I'll be able to avenge his death by killing Tyroarius and winning the Games.

I pull a package of beef jerky out of the supply pile and rip it open. This tastes a thousand times better than overcooked squirrel. As I eat, Jade, who kept watch overnight, sits down next to me. "You okay?" she asks after about a minute of silence.

I shrug. "Are any of us really okay out here?"

Jade smiles slightly, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "I just know you were really close to Cole," she says, her expression turning solemn again.

"Yeah, he felt like a brother to me out here," I admit. "I miss him, but I guess that's the way it goes." I decide to change the subject to something a little less depressing. "So what's the plan for today? Are we just going to hang out here?"

"That's what I was thinking," Jade says. "Of course, we could go tribute hunting, but I didn't think you guys would be into that, especially with Micah injured. Besides, with Ty out on the loose, it wouldn't be too smart to split up. We shouldn't leave our camp unguarded either, so it seems like staying here would be the smartest move."

"So are we just going to sort through supplies and stuff?" I ask.

"Yeah, I'd like to see how much food we really have because Ty certainly ate more than his fair share during the first four days. We've also got to check for water and decide if we need to start purifying some from the stream. And we've got to tend to Micah too. He's still sleeping, but when he wakes we'll have to find out how much his injury is affecting him."

"Somebody say my name?" Micah groans from inside his tent. A few seconds later he emerges, failing to stifle a huge yawn as he trudges toward the supply pile.

"How are you feeling?" Jade asks.

"I've felt worse," he says. "I'll be okay in another day or two, but I'd rather take it easy today."

"That's fine," Jade says. "We weren't planning on doing much today anyway- just sorting through supplies and such. Want me to apply some more medicine to your chest?"

"Sure, if you don't mind," Micah says. "I think the medicine's in my tent."

"No problem," Jade says. She picks up a first aid kit and walks toward the tent with him.

"I guess I'll start sorting through this pile," I say as the two of them disappear into the tent. I set down the empty package of beef jerky and stare up at the mountain of backpacks and other supplies in front of me. It seems like we'll be having a pretty boring day today. That's fine by me- as long as the Gamemakers don't decide we're _too_ boring.

 **Cleo Amorite (D7 F 17)**

It's taken a few days, but Lumiere and I have finally developed a solid daily routine. Each day, we rise at dawn and immediately eat a handful of berries for breakfast. Once we've packed up all of our supplies, we climb down from whatever tree we're in and begin our daily hunt for food. We eat lunch around noon and then head to the center of the arena. There, we make our daily dash to the stream to fill up our two water bottles. Once we've returned to the sanctity of the forest, we keep hunting for four or five more hours and then find another tree to sleep in. We then climb up, eat dinner, and attepmt to entertain ourselves until sunset, when we try to get some shut eye. The next day, we awaken at sunrise and repeat the process all over again.

Currently, we're on about hour two of our morning hunt for food, and we don't have much to show for it. A dozen berries apiece does nothing to replace the hundreds of calories we lose just by walking around all day. We're alive, though- the only thing that really matters at this point. We just have to keep pushing through the hunger, the boredom, and anything else the Gamemakers decide to throw our way. If either of us wins, it'll all be worth it- even the terrors we have yet to experience. The Games are only going to get tougher from here, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it home to District Seven.

Lumiere stops in his tracks and whips his head to the right. "What?" I whisper, gazing off into the woods.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"That buzzing sound." We fall silent. At first, all I can hear is the chirping of birds. Seconds later, I manage to distinguish the noise he's talking about. "What do you think it is?" Lumiere asks. "A swarm of bees, maybe?

"I don't know, but I think it's coming from the center of the arena," I say.

"It's getting louder," Lumiere says. With a jolt, I realize that he's right. Whatever it is, it's coming right for us.

"Climb up into that tree!" I shout, pointing at a sturdy-looking one. We scramble up as the buzzing intensifies. When we're about fifteen feet off of the ground, I glance behind me and finally recognize the source of the noise. About half a dozen mutts burst out of the trees, headed straight for us.

At first glance, the mutts look like normal snakes. I soon realize that they've got four tiny feet, like a lizard, with razor-sharp claws. Their tails are also odd. They seem to glowing as if with... "Electricity," I mumble.

"What?"

"Their tails are charged with electricity," I tell Lumiere. "See how they're surrounded with that yellowish-glow?"

"That's why they were making that buzzing sound," Lumiere catches on.

The snake-lizard mutts sprint until they've reached the base of our tree. "What now?" Lumiere asks timidly.

"We wait and see if they can climb. But grab something to use as a weapon just in case." Since Lumiere and I didn't get any weapons at the bloodbath, we don't have much to fight off the mutts with. Lumiere finds a sharp-ish stick he's kept in our bags for the past few days and I grab our pot. For a moment, we sit in suspense as the mutts pause at the bottom of the tree, clawing at the bark. Suddenly, all five of them begin to climb.

I sling my bag over my shoulder and begin looking for an escape route. The branch just below us slopes downward at the end, coming within about ten feet of the ground. We'll have to hang from it and then drop about a few feet onto the ground. "Follow me," I tell Lumiere as he grabs our second bag. I climb down to the branch below us and begin crawling out to the end of it. As Lumiere crawls behind me, the branch shakes, threatening to collapse. Once we've reached the part that slopes downward, I glance back at the mutts. They've reached our branch and are starting to rush at us. We're running out of time.

Holding onto the branch tightly, I drop my body down so that I'm hanging about five feet above the ground. Meanwhile, the branch makes splintering noises, second away from snapping. Praying that the ground is soft, I let go of the branch and fall. I hit the ground with minimal pain, and look up to see Lumiere hanging down, the mutts less than a foot away from his left hand. "Jump!" I shout. He hits the ground hard, falling back onto his feet and then his butt. As he stands up, I can tell he's in pain, but we have to get away from these mutts as quickly as possible.

"We have to run toward the center of the arena," I tell him, watching the mutts out of the center of my eye. They're heading back toward the trunk- ten feet must be too big of a drop for them. "To the stream." I begin sprinting in the direction the mutts emerged from, hoping that the center of the arena is near. Since electricity is water's biggest enemy, we may be able to get rid of the mutts by jumping into the stream. I can hear Lumiere wincing and panting behind me, but he's managing to push through the pain for the time being.

After about two minutes of sprinting, we reach the center of the arena. The stream lies about a hundred yards away from the edge. I push myself, harder than I've ever run in my life, until I finally collapse in the stream. It's only about five feet wide and three feet deep, so it's not enough to sweep me downstream. I turn back to look at Lumiere- he's halfway between the woods and the stream with the mutts right on his tail. "Run, Lumiere!" I manage to shout through breaths. With tears streaming down his face, he runs all the way to the water, finally collapsing face-first right next to me.

The mutts pause at the bank, snarling at us and baring their pointed teeth. They're not stupid- they must know that water wouldn't be too good for their electrical abilities. One by one, the mutts saunter back into the woods, preparing to scope out their next victims. When the last mutt disappears, I breathe a sigh of relief. "We did it, Lum. We escaped from the mutts." Glancing over him, I realize that he's still in some serious pain. He's pulled himself out of the stream and is lying face-first on the grass. "What's up?" I ask, climbing out of the stream and kneeling down next to him. "What did you hurt?"

"My left ankle and my tailbone," he grimaces. "I was in such a hurry to get out of that tree that I didn't fall straight. I tried to land on my feet, but my left ankle ended up taking most of the impact and twisted a bit. I didn't feel anything pop, but it hurt a lot. And then when I fell backwards, my tailbone hit a rock."

"Ouch. I don't know much about injuries or medicine or anything like that, but I have heard that bruising your tailbone is very painful. It should heal in a few days, though. I know absolutely nothing about ankles, but if we're lucky, one of our mentors knows something and will send us something to treat it."

Lumiere snorts. "My mentor send me something? Not a chance. He hates me for taking the place of the eighteen-year-old that was supposed to volunteer."

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to take it easy. Can you walk?"

Lumiere sits up and shrugs. "It'll probably hurt a bit, but I'll manage. Let's fill up our water bottles and then get out of here."

"Good idea," I tell him. Once we've refilled both of our water bottles, we walk back toward the edge of the woods. Lumiere has to limp a bit, but I'm just glad he can walk at a normal pace. That must mean the injury isn't too severe. If he had broken his ankle and couldn't walk at all, I don't know what we would've done.

 **Circe Fog (D9 F 16)**

I never realized how boring the Hunger Games would be for me. Of course, I had assumed I would have an apprentice to teach my skills to. A lack of an apprentice has made survival my only focus. Survival is extremely easy for me, though. Back in District Nine, my mother taught me everything she knew about plants and their medicinal qualities. I know which berries are edible, and I know which ones can be used in potions for treating any injuries or diseases I might contract. The pockets of my pants and my jacket are completely filled with all types of edible berries that I know how to use.

I've got plenty of water too. I weaved myself two baskets to fill up at the stream in the center of the arena. Now, I can go two or three days before I need to replenish my water supply. I've also established a shelter to store my baskets in so that I don't have to carry them around all day. It's a group of rocks that form almost a cave, open only on one side. It's by no means comfortable, but it's the best option I've got- I certainly don't have the arm strength to climb into a tree or anything like that. I've covered the open side of the cave with some branches and ferns, hoping that none of the tributes who walk by will stare too long at it and discover my hideaway.

Thanks to my crystal ball, I haven't been too worried about what's in store for me over the next few days. My crystal ball holds all of the answers, and I know I can rely on it to get me out of any sticky situation. It hasn't failed me yet, and I doubt it ever will. Just this morning, it helped me locate a bush of ragus berries, which help soothe headaches and other bodily pains. Based on the images my crystal ball has been showing me recently, I believe it wants me to stay put and lay low for a while. I'm definitely okay with that. By staying in my shelter, the chance of another tribute finding me drops extremely low- as does the chance of me dying. I feel much safer being hidden away, even if it is much more boring.

I suddenly notice a faint buzzing sound coming from outside of my shelter. It begins to get louder, and I wonder if I should go check it out. I pull out my crystal ball and stare into its swirling depths. In no time at all, an image begins to form- it's me. As the image sharpens, I notice that I'm fighting someone. Something, actually- my opponent is too short to be human. Well, I guess the crystal ball thinks I should go out and fight whatever is making that noise. Grabbing my weapon (a sharp rock I found yesterday), I crawl through the blanket of ferns and out into the open.

I scan the surrounding woods, failing to spot the source of the noise. The buzzing continues to get louder and louder as I stand in front of my shelter, ready to fight. Seconds later, five mutts slither into view. They seem to be some sort of cross between a snake and a lizard, with very pointed teeth and sharp claws. I soon realize that their long, glowing tails are emitting the buzzing sound- they seem to be charged with electricity. As the mutts approach me, I realize that my tiny rock doesn't stand a chance against these hybrids.

I climb on top of the boulders that form my shelter, rapidly searching for the largest rock that I can lift. I need to kill these mutts- smashing them with rocks might be the most effective way. As soon as I find one, I launch it at the mutts, which have reached the base of my shelter. The rock lands on the back half of a mutt, squashing it like an ant. One down, four to go. The mutts begin to ascend the boulders as my search for rocks becomes much more frantic. I find another rock and roll it down the side of the boulder. It knocks one of the mutts to the ground; however, the mutt just shakes itself off and begins climbing again.

I can feel my heartbeat increasing rapidly as I search for a third rock. Seconds later, I locate one and immediately heave it over at the mutts. The rock hits one of them head-on, but it does nothing to slow the other three, which have reached the top of the boulder. Backing away from the mutts, I glance down at the grass below me. I have to jump. It's the only way to escape. I turn away from the mutts and prepare to jump. Just before I make the leap, however, I feel a sharp zap in my back.

I scream in pain as my body writhes uncontrollably. The electricity pulses throughout my body as I lay helpless on the boulder. A second mutt zaps me with its tail and the pain intensifies. I slip off of the boulder and hit the ground with a jolt. As my vision darkens, I realize that this is it. My life is ending. With my last ounce of strength, I feel around my pocket for my crystal ball, gripping it as tightly as I can manage. I almost smile as I realize my only regret- that I never trained an apprentice.

 **Valerie Plasma (D3 F 15)**

Though I am sad that Lexi's gone, I think everything that happened two days ago was for the best. Muna and I had just about reached our breaking point. That girl and I just weren't meant to get along, so I'm glad we were able to go our separate ways. I do miss Lexi, though. She was a very kind, headstrong girl who would've made it very far if we hadn't run into the Careers. However, only one can win in the end, so maybe it is better that Lexi's out of the way.

A loud "boom" echoes throughout the arena. I jump, nearly falling off of my branch. This death brings the number of remaining tributes down to eight. It takes a few moments for this to sink in: _I'm in the final eight._ That means family interviews. Hours from now, a camera crew will be in District Three, asking my family questions about me. It's only day five, but I feel as if the end is right around the corner. Seven more deaths, and the Capitol will have its victor.

I wonder which tribute just bit the dust. I know there's four tributes from the Career districts left: both from One, and the guys from Two and Four. Then there's the pretty girl from District Seven, wolf boy from Ten, mystical girl from Nine, and Muna. If I had to guess, I'd say either mystical girl or Lumiere from One just died. Mystical girl didn't seem very smart or strong, and neither did Lumiere, especially when considering that he's from a Career district. Of course, I'd prefer if one of the stronger tributes was out of the way, but I doubt I'm that lucky, especially after yesterday.

For whatever reason, two Careers died yesterday. That's very abnormal, considering that it was only the fourth day in the arena. I have no clue what happened, but I do have my suspicions. Since Cole from Six died as well, my guess is that the Careers either attacked or were attacked by Cole and his ally Sable.

When the attack happened, I doubt that the Careers were all together since the four of them could easily outnumber Cole and Sable. I bet the Careers had split up into two groups of two to go hunting or something like that. Then, by some miracle, Cole and Sable managed to defeat the two Careers they crossed paths with, the girls from Two and Four. Cole probably sustained major wounds in the battle and died along with them. It's a bit of a wild theory, but it's the only way I could logically justify the three deaths that occurred within a ten minute time span yesterday.

I'm not going to lie: I was very pleased when I saw which faces shone in the sky yesterday. Well, I was shocked for the first few seconds- then pleased. Three of the biggest threats in the Games left the arena yesterday, which means I'm just that much closer to winning the Games. Sure, there's still huge threats left, but at least I can count them all on one hand now. If I'm lucky, they'll kill themselves off over the next few days.

I know I don't stand a chance against about half of the remaining tributes, which has left me pondering a new idea: what if I teamed up with someone strong-ish? I know that none of the Careers or Muna would want to ally with me, but that still leaves three or four other tributes. I've been most interested in Sable- he just lost his ally, and although he's much stronger than me, he might not mind some extra help. The pretty girl from Seven is another strong candidate. She seems to be much more than just a pretty face, and we both may benefit from an alliance.

Survival-wise, I haven't been doing too well since our alliance split up. Survival definitely isn't my strong suit, and I had almost no food in my bag when we split. Muna did teach me a bit about berry identification, so I've managed to find enough to get by on. However, I'm really hungry for some meat and hope I can catch some either today or tomorrow. My whip isn't an ideal hunting weapon, but I'll just have to make it work. I don't have any matches for cooking it, so I'll just have to hope my sponsors are feeling generous and send me some.

 **Tyroarius Stryker (D2 M 18)**

In just a day, my status in the Games has changed from Career alliance member to Career alliance stalker. I've been watching Jade, Micah, and the boy from Ten all day, and they've done nothing even remotely interesting. Instead of going hunting, they remained at camp, giving me zero opportunity to either kill one of them or wreak some havoc at their abandoned camp. The sun's about to set, so it looks like I'll have to wait until tomorrow to get my revenge.

I'm still extremely furious at Jade for backstabbing Mileena and I. How could she betray her loyal Careers for Micah and some other outer-district scum? When I retake the Career camp, she will have the most painful death. I'm not stupid enough to attack while the three of them are all there. As soon as they split up, however, I will attack them with everything I've got. Tomorrow, vengeance will most certainly be mine.

Unfortunately, I've eaten every crumb of food I had in my backpack when I fled from the Career camp. That means I'll have to take back the Career camp for sure tomorrow- otherwise, I'll have to find some sort of plant or animal to eat. I'm all out of water too, which has given me a pounding headache. Getting water will be easy- I just have to walk downstream a bit and bottle some up. Food is definitely the bigger issue, since I know nothing about plant identification and almost nothing about animal hunting. I do have my spear, though, so I'll just have to hope I cross paths will some sort of edible mammal.

The Panem Anthem begins, and I turn my attention to the sky. One face is displayed tonight: mystic girl from District Nine. I'm glad that she's gone, but she definitely wasn't a threat. With this death, I believe we're down to the final eight. I can remember who seven of the remaining tributes are: myself, Jade, Micah, the boy from Ten, the two young girls allied with the one Bebe killed, and the boy from One. I forget who the eighth tribute is, though, which means he or she probably isn't much of a threat.

The anthem fades and the projection of the seal disappears. Well, I guess that means I should start settling in for the night. I slump down to the pile of bushes I slept in yesterday and cover myself in a few handfuls of leaves. Since I'm so close to the Career camp, I need to camouflage myself at least a little to ensure that Jade and her allies will never find me. Thankfully, I can still spy on the three of them from this position. If their guard falls asleep, I'll be the first to know.

I did consider attacking the camp at night but have decided against it. Just like the original Careers, this alliance keeps a guard out to watch for anything threatening. The guard would be able to see me coming with plenty of time to warn the others to grab their weapons. I could always try sneaking up behind the guard, but I'm not a particularly agile person and would probably be spotted. Even if I made it all the way to the tent, chances are they sleep with their weapons. I may be able to get one quick kill, but the other two would quickly have the upper hand. It's just a little too risky to attack them right now, which is why I have to wait for them to split up.

I try to stay awake for as long as possible. I only slept for about two hours last night, so I can feel my body trying to shut down. My eyelids droop, I yawn over and over again, and my breathing slows as my body demands I let it sleep. I fight it for as long as I can- I don't need a lot of sleep to be at my best. Sleep is for the weak and the lazy, and I am neither of those things. It makes more sense for me to stay up and watch the Career camp for an opening. I know that if I manage to kill the three of them and retake the Career camp, I'll have the best sleep of my entire life.

I watch the camp for hours, but Micah, their guard for the night, doesn't budge. He sits by their fire, eyes staring into the dark woods for what seems like an eternity. He moves a few times to grab a bite to eat or a sip of water, but for the most part, he sits as still and as steady as a rock. Eventually, I decide I've had enough. Micah's won this round, so it would be best for me to get some sleep. I close my eyes and drift off almost immediately.

 **Recap** :

 ** _The Fallen (1):_**

 **Circe Fog (D9 F 16) 9th Place**

Killed by mutts. She was electrically shocked by them until she died.

 _ **Remaining Tributes (8):**_

 _ **D1**_ :

Jade Platinum (GalacticFairydust)

Lumiere Rutherford (Annabeth-TheTributeThatLived)

 _ **D2**_ :

Tyroarius Striker (Jms2)

 _ **D3**_ :

Valerie Plasma (GalacticFairydust)

 _ **D4**_ :

Micah Islen (emimawi)

 _ **D7**_ :

Cleo Amorite (fifidear)

 _ **D10**_ :

Muna Taylor (KittyMae98)

Sable Maren (AaronIris34)

 _ **Kills**_ :

 **Tyroarius Stryker (5):** Mindi, Kiyata, Trenton, Jazper, Cole

 **Mileena Nero (3):** Logan, Jerry, Kairen

 **Jade Platinum (2):** Claire, Bebe

 **Bebe Cora (1):** Lexi

 **Micah Islen (1):** Jasmine

 **Cole Fyre (1):** Mileena

 _ **Alliances**_ :

Jade/Micah/Sable

Lumiere/Cleo

Tyroarius

Valerie

Muna

 **Once again, a million apologies for my super late update. I won't go into detail since I did that on my profile, but it's been a heck of a busy past few months and I had to let fanfiction sit on the sidelines for a bit. I just returned from a family vacation and finally managed to finish this chapter, bringing us to the final eight.**

 **A quick note about Circe: she was without a doubt one of the most original (yet still believable) tributes I've ever revived. She was definitely one of my favorites, but unfortunately, her time in the Games had to come to an end. I couldn't see her going much farther than the final nine.**

 **I was originally planning on doing final eight family interviews, but I think I'm going to skip that for these Games. I feel that it would take unnecessary time away from our main plot here and just prolong the length of time it's going to take to wrap up this story. We're so close to the end, and this story has been in progress so long that you guys deserve to have your victor instead of extra chapters filled will fluff. My goal is to wrap up this fanfic by the beginning of the school year, and although I won't rush the ending, I don't see too much of a problem with getting rid of unnecessary chapters. I may do a short recap of the family interviews before going into day six, but I won't have a whole chapter or two dedicated to it.**

 **A new poll is up for the final eight! If you're still sticking with this story, I'd love to hear your feedback on who the most loved and most hated tributes are.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	24. The Final Eight Interviews

**The Final Eight Interviews:**

 **Adameus Fletcher- Head Gamemaker**

Standing in the arena management room, I stare at the giant screen above and watch as Circe Fields from District Nine is electrocuted to death. I nod at one of my assistants, who orders the simulated canon blast to sound throughout the arena. "All right team, we've made it to the final eight!" I announce to my Gamemakers. "This means we need to slow down the Games so that Tristan Honeybee can go conduct the family interviews. Call the mutts off and do your best to keep the tributes separated. We can't let another tribute die until after the interviews are over."

I take a sip of water and continue. "I'll be in my office, prepping for the interviews." I look over at Florina Sommlier, my second-in-command. "Until the interviews end, the arena is in your hands. Be careful." She nods knowingly, and with one last wave at my Gamemakers, I turn and exit the room.

As soon as I enter my office, I collapse into my chair and lay my head down. I've gotten almost no rest since the Games started, which can't be very healthy. I've got a few hours until Tristan arrives in District One, which leaves me just enough time for a much-needed power nap. I close my eyes and fall into a deep sleep almost immediately.

I awake just minutes before Tristan goes on the air in District One. I communicate with him briefly through his earpiece and then tend to my display screens. I cut to Joaquin Towers, Tristan Honeybee's assistant who has been commentating the Games alongside him. "Ladies and gentlemen," Towers begins, reading the script that I created on the teleprompter. "It's time for the moment you've all been waiting for: the final eight interviews! Tristan Honeybee has just arrived in District One to speak with the friends and family of Jade Platinum."

I tap on the screen to my right and cut to the camera filming from the Platinum household. Tristan Honeybee is sitting in the center of a small and plain (but taken care of) living room surrounded by half a dozen other people. I lift my pile of recently-created tribute stat sheets from my desk and glance at the top one.

 _JADE PLATINUM_

District: One

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Height: 5'7"

Weight: 125 lbs.

Preferred Weapon: Spear

Appearance: long blonde hair, green eyes (very pretty)

Points of Interest: Orchestrated the Career overthrow by betraying them, two kills (Claire and Bebe), training score of nine

People to Interview: Family-Dad (Quartz), Mom (Calcite), Sister (Lumi-13) Friends- Audrina, Ruby, and Velvet

Estimated Capitol Ranking: 3rd

I sit back and watch as Tristan grills everyone about Jade's life and her performance in the Games. I learn that Jade is from a poor family (in District One standards) and that she volunteered for the money. According to her parents, she trained at the poorest training facility in District One, but still felt confident enough in her own abilities to volunteer. Tristan asks Jade's friends about how they feel about Jade's betrayal of the Careers. The three of them agree that it was a very smart and brave thing to do and think it'll give her a much better chance at victory.

Tristan wraps up the interview by asking Jade's sister Lumi if she plans on volunteering for the Games someday. Lumi responds with a very defiant "no" and then dashes out of the room. Tristan announces that he'll be back in less than an hour at Lumiere's house, and I switch the programming back to the arena. As I wait, I skim over Lumiere's stat sheet.

 _LUMIERE RUTHERFORD_

District: One

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 135 lbs.

Preferred Weapon: Dagger

Appearance: Wavy blond hair, green eyes, long and lanky

Points of Interest: Not a typical D1 volunteer, alliance with Cleo, close call with mutts (injuries)

People to Interview: Friends- Tabitha, Stark, and Venus

Estimated Capitol Ranking: 8th Place

Lumiere is definitely one of the more boring tributes to be interviewed today. However, I am a bit interested to see how this interview turns out. When we called the district to ask about where Lumiere's family lives, I was told he had no family and no known address. However, they did tell me I could find some of his orphan friends at District One's Community Home, which is where Tristan is headed right now. Sure enough, once I flip back to Tristan, he's seated with three teenagers in a very dirty, run-down room.

The interview is actually a lot more entertaining than I thought it would be. According to Lumiere's friends, the four of them (along with other teenagers in the district) were kidnapped by a man who kept them as sex slaves. However, once Lumiere volunteered, his friends were able to speak with a few Peacekeepers in the Justice Building and notify them of the illegal dealings going on. The next day, the man who kidnapped them was hanged publicly in the square, and all the children he kept were freed. Most of them live as orphans in the Community Home now, and they all credit Lumiere as their savior. It's a touching story, but seeing as Lumiere is ranked 8th out of eight, most Capitol viewers aren't going to care. As Tristan travels to District Two, I pull out my third sheet.

 _TYROARIUS STRYKER_

District: Two

Gender: Male

Age: 18

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 210 lbs.

Preferred Weapon: Spear

Appearance: Tall, blue eyes, short dark-brown hair, muscular, scar on forehead

Points of Interest: Most kills (5), projected to win, training score of 10, betrayed by Jade, currently no allies

People to Interview: Family- dad (Ky), mom (Saline) sister (Pheobe- 14) Friends- *MASON RILEY*, Xavier, Delius Girlfriend- Amphrite

Estimated Capitol Ranking: 1st

The presence of Mason Riley, last year's victor, at the Stryker household makes this interview the most interesting so far. Being the projected volunteers for back-to-back years at the same training academy, the two became very close. Delius, Tyroarius's training partner, talks about how he knows his friend has the skills and the strength to win. His girlfriend Amphrite talks about how wicked Jade is for betraying him, and everyone nods in agreement. His parents talk about how proud they are of their son and how confident they are that he'll win, despite the fact that he's currently without allies or food. Tristan wraps the interview up, and I pull out my next sheet.

 _VALERIE PLASMA_

District: Three

Gender: Female

Age: 15

Height: 5'5"

Weight: 107 lbs.

Preferred Weapon: Whip

Appearance: Short, wavy, strawberry-blonde hair, light freckles, blue eyes

Points of Interest: Former alliance with Lexi and Muna, rivalry with Muna

People to Interview: Family- Mom (Joelle), Dad (Kelvin), brother (Logan- 18) Friends- Fusion and Deanna

Estimated Capitol Ranking: 7th

Like Lumiere, Valerie hasn't done much in the Games, so there isn't much to ask her friends and family about. Her friend Deanna clearly shares Val's sense of humor. After three consecutive sarcastic responses, I understand why Muna found Valerie so annoying in the arena. Valerie's brother Logan talks about the rivalry he had with his younger sister, which he says has made her more competitive and determined to win. Her parents talk about how they believe she can win, even though the odds are stacked against her.

Tristan announces that he'll join us again in District Four, and I switch the programming back to the arena. We've officially reached the halfway point. It's about four in the afternoon, but if all goes as planned, we should be able to finish before most of Panem goes to bed. I reach onto my desk and pull out the next slip of paper.

 _MICAH ISLEN_

District: Four

Gender: Male

Age: 17

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 190 lbs.

Preferred Weapon: Axe

Appearance: Dark, messy hair, chocolate-brown eyes, smattering of freckles, tan skin

Points of Interest: Didn't ally with Careers (despite being from D4), helped overthrow Careers, injured by Tyroarius, projected runner-up

People to Interview: Parents, best friend Slate

Estimated Capitol Ranking: 2nd

Despite the short list of people to interview, at least half a dozen other teenage boys appear in the interview. Apparently, Micah was very popular at the training center. When Tristan asks about Micah's choice to reject and then overthrow the Career alliance, Slate talks about how proud he is of his friend for forging his own path in the Games instead of joining some predetermined alliance. The other boys nod their heads in agreement, repeating that Micah's strength and strategy will lead him to victory.

I roll my eyes as Micah's parents talk up a storm- not about Micah but about themselves. Apparently, they were both a spot or two away from being picked to volunteer in the Hunger Games. Over twenty-five years later, they still haven't gotten over it. Thankfully, Tristan puts an end to this pretty quickly, announcing his next destination: District Seven. I have an avox bring me dinner before I review the next tribute stat sheet.

 _CLEO AMORITE_

District: Seven

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 110 lbs.

Preferred Weapon: Unknown

Appearance: Wavy pale blonde hair, dark almond-shaped green eyes, fair skin (very pretty)

Points of Interest: Alliance with Lumiere, narrow escape from mutts, training score of seven

People to Interview: Paxon (caretaker), Bevyn (brother-8), and Nadette (friend)

Estimated Capitol Ranking: 5th

Although Cleo hasn't done much in the Games so far, she's a very popular tribute because of her obvious good looks and intelligence. Cleo's list of family members and friends to interview is a bit odd. There's only her brother, a forty-year-old woman listed as her friend, and her thirty-year-old caretaker (which is even more odd because orphans are usually sent to the community home). Even as Tristan conducts the interview, I get a weird vibe out of his three guests. Nadette spends most of her time glaring at Paxton, and Bevyn just seems flat-out depressed (probably because he's lost his only sister).

Paxton does most of the talking during the interview. He's got a very charming personality and talks very highly of Cleo, whom he says he adopted with Bevyn a couple of years ago. Nadette praises Cleo's strength and intelligence. She believes Cleo is an underrated tribute who definitely has the potential to win. Tristan tries to ask Bevyn some questions but only receives nods and shrugs in response. Eventually, the interview winds down and I pull out my next stat sheet.

 _MUNA TAYLOR_

District: Ten

Gender: Female

Age: 15

Height: 5'8

Weight: 120 lbs.

Preferred Weapon: Throwing knives

Appearance: Long & wavy brown hair, dark skin, brown eyes, scar on left side of forehead

Points of Interest: Alliance with Valerie and Lexi, narrow escape from the Careers, training score of seven

People to Interview: Mom, stepfather, older brother Danny friends- Maizie and Topaz

Estimated Capitol Ranking: 6th

Tristan arrives in his final district of the evening, starting off in the house of Muna Taylor. Tristan begins by asking how Muna got that large scar on her forehead. According to her mother, a staircase collapsed on her at school as she chased a boy who had stolen some money. That story is definitely the most exciting part of the interview. Muna's friends talk about how proud they are of her high training score and great performance in the Games so far, her older brother talks about what Muna was like as a kid, and I nearly fall asleep. When it finally ends, I pull out my only remaining tribute stat sheet and skim it over.

 _SABLE MAREN_

District: Ten

Gender: Male

Age: 18

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 195 lbs.

Preferred Weapon: Bowstaff

Appearance: Short sandy hair, gray eyes, tan skin, tall and muscular frame (rugged good looks)

Points of Interest: Wolf boy persona, highest ranked tribute not from a Career district, helped overthrow the Careers, training score of nine

People to Interview: Mom, Dad, and twin sister Fawn

Estimated Capitol Ranking: 4th

I've actually been looking forward to Sable's family interview a lot. He's definitely the strongest remaining tribute from the outlying districts, and I'm very intrigued by his wolf boy persona. Initially, I'm a bit surprised that Sable doesn't have any close friends in the interview. However, I soon learn that Fawn, Sable's twin sister, is his best friend. They do everything together- in particular, protecting the sheep on their family's farm from wolves (which is how Sable became known as wolf boy). Sable's years of doing farm chores and fighting off wolves with a bowstaff have certainly elevated his status in the Games, and even, as his whole family seems to believe, have given him a good shot at winning.

At last, Tristan wraps up the final interview. "I'll be back in the Capitol tomorrow morning with your regularly scheduled commentary of the Hunger Games!" he announces. "This is Tristan Honeybee, signing off. Good night Panem!" I switch the programming back to the arena and pump my fists in the air. That went very well; I'm guessing the president will be pleased. Exhausted, I lay back in my chair and fall asleep in seconds.

 **So I lied- I decided to do a quick final eight interviews chapter because I realized it would be a good way to refresh everyone on the remaining tributes. If you haven't voted in the poll already, go vote! Day six is already in the works and should be up in a few days.**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


	25. Day Six

**Day Six:**

 **Micah Islen (D4 M 17)**

As soon as I open my eyes, the pain returns to my chest, the spot where Tyroarius almost killed me with a spear. I roll out of my sleeping bag and grab the medicine package I received as a sponsor gift. After rubbing the paste liberally across my chest, the wound feels loads better. I should still take it easy today, but at least I know I'm healing.

I climb out of the tent and grab myself a dried fruit package from our food pile. I rip it open and sit down next to Sable, who kept watch early this morning. "How's the injury?" he asks.

"It feels much better," I say. "Especially now that I've got some medicine on it."

A few minutes later, Jade stumbles out of her tent. "Morning, everyone," she says, reaching for the food pile. I let her finish her beef jerky before getting down to business.

"So my wound's feeling much better," I say, "which means I'm good to do whatever you guys want today. Whether it's tribute hunting, animal hunting, or just a walk around the center of the arena, I'm good with anything."

"I don't know," Sable says. "I think we've got enough food for a few more days, and I'm not too big on the whole tribute hunting thing."

"I'd hate to stay cooped up here all day," Jade says, "but I agree. With Ty on the loose, we don't want to split up. And we can't leave the camp totally abandoned either, because he could steal our stuff or set up some sort of trap. But I'm not against taking a trip to the stream or exploring the surrounding area."

"I guess that sounds okay," I say. "I think we're starting to get low on water, so maybe we can take a trip to the stream later to fill up some bottles. I'd rather not fill them up in the pond since the water's a bit murky."

"Yeah, that's a great idea," Sable agrees. "We have to at least do something today, or the Gamemakers will get bored with us."

"We did give them a pretty good show two days ago," I point out. "But yeah, I'd hate to sit around for two days in a row."

"So I guess we should start sorting through our stuff then," Jade says, jumping to her feet. "We can pull out all of our empty water jugs and bottles and put them in a pile."

I don't know how she has this much enthusiasm so early in the morning. But she's right- we have a huge mountain of bags to go through, so the quicker we get started, the quicker we can go on our adventure to the stream. I discard my empty fruit package and begin pulling down bags from the pile. The backpacks have so many compartments that it takes minutes to search through just one. This is going to be a long morning.

Through the boredom, I find myself thinking about my family back in District Four. Since we've been in the final eight for almost a full day now, I'm sure the family interviews were either conducted last night or are being conducted right now. I miss my parents more than I ever thought I would. And Slate and the other boys down at the training center- they're like a second family to me. I'm sure they're cheering me on right now, but I miss working out with them every day.

Now that we're in the final eight, I wonder how much longer the Games will last from here. Usually, once this point is reached, the deaths slow down to about one per day (with the exception being the day of the feast). Two-thirds of the tributes may be gone, but there's really no telling how many days it'll take for the remaining seven deaths to occur. Honestly, it depends on what the Gamemakers are feeling- if they want more action and excitement, they'll speed the deaths up. However, if they're looking for suspense and more hours of entertainment, the Games could last another week or two.

Obviously, I want the Games to be over as quickly as possible. Even though I'm a volunteer from a Career district, I don't enjoy killing innocent children, and I absolutely despise the people who do. I volunteered for two reasons- to save Slate (my friend who was supposed to volunteer this year but had second thoughts about it) and to prevent my life in District Four from becoming dull and meaningless. Even if I die out here, at least I'll know I died as myself- not some stupid Capitol lapdog.

 **Lumiere Rutherford (D1 M 15)**

Our encounter with the mutts yesterday made me realize something: if I hadn't allied with Cleo, I'd be dead by the end of day one. By keeping a cool head under pressure, she managed to save both of us from dying at the claws of those stupid electric lizards. With only seconds to think, she came up with a brilliant plan to escape from the mutts. After recognizing water as the mutts' biggest weakness, she led us straight towards the stream in the center of the arena. I never would've figured that out so quickly. If I had been alone when the mutts attacked, they would have turned me into a burnt human shish kabob in seconds.

Although Cleo escaped relatively unharmed, I did pick up a few minor-ish injuries. As the mutts closed in on me as I hung from a tree branch, I rushed my dismount. After falling about five feet, I landed awkwardly on the side of my heels and twisted my left ankle. And if that wasn't enough, as I continued to fall towards the ground, my tailbone landed on a rock. The next few minutes were some of the most painful of my life as I sprinted towards the stream with every ounce of strength I had left. By some miracle, I reached the stream before the mutts could catch me and lived to see another day.

Miracle number two occurred this morning when I woke up to find a sponsor gift floating down from the sky. I opened it up and was shocked to see a small tube of medicine and a Velcro ankle brace located inside. Although Cleo thinks they're from my mentor, I know that man wouldn't send me a gift if his life depended on it. It's more likely that these are gifts from Cleo's mentor. With her beauty, I'm sure she's got plenty of sponsors lined up to give money to her mentor.

There's still one more question to answer under this theory: why would Cleo's mentor waste her money on me instead of saving it for Cleo? Well, I think Cleo's mentor is worried I'll hold Cleo back or put her in danger because of my injuries. By helping me heal, Cleo's mentor gives Cleo a functioning ally again, which could help her out in the long run. Not that I'm much help to Cleo, but I know she'd never abandon me (and her mentor must know it too).

Cleo interrupts me from my thoughts. "I can see the clearing. Let's grab our bottles and make this quick." We're currently on our daily trip to the stream to replenish our water supply. After pulling our bottles out and dropping our bags, Cleo and I head to the edge of the clearing and stand behind a pair of trees. "The coast looks clear," Cleo says.

"Alright," I reply. "Let's go." We step out from behind the trees and begin running. My ankle and tailbone burn with pain, but I ignore it, just like yesterday. About halfway between the trees and the stream, Cleo suddenly stops in her tracks, a look of terror forming on her face. I follow her gaze downstream where three Careers have emerged and are headed in our direction.

I gasp and turn back toward the woods, Cleo right behind me. I have no idea if the Careers spotted us. I can't look back now. The only thing that matters is getting inside the cover of the trees. My injuries ache even harder, but I don't care. I need to push through this. I run and I run until finally, I collapse behind a tree. I swivel my head back towards the clearing and sigh in relief when I realize that the Careers have not spotted us. They're still a ways downstream and seem to be fumbling through a bag for something.

"That was even scarier than the mutts," I say when I've finally caught my breath. "If they had spotted us, we'd be dead."

Cleo nods. "We got extremely lucky there." She looks over at the Careers as they walk upstream, closer to where we're hidden. Suddenly, she frowns. "Lumiere, I don't think those are the Careers," she says.

"Why of course they are," I reply. "That's Jade right there, my district partner."

"Yes, but look at who she's with," Cleo says. "The one on her left is Micah- he's from District Four, but he refused to ally with the Careers during training, remember? And the other boy- that's that wolf boy from Ten. He's no Career either."

"Maybe they changed their minds and decided to join the Careers once they joined the arena," I say.

"I don't know," Cleo says, but there's definitely something a little... _off_ about the Career alliance. Remember two days ago when the girls from Two and Four died?"

"I actually remember that quite well," a slightly-familiar male's voice calls out. Cleo and I whip our heads around to see Tyroarius, the boy from District Two, step out from behind a tree with a spear in his hand. I stare at him in absolute shock and terror as he continues to speak. "That was the day your bitch of a district partner betrayed me." He twirls the spear in his hand, looking livid. "She tried to kill me, but she failed. So, I've been following her and her stupid new allies around for the past two days, looking for an opportunity to get my revenge. I haven't found that opportunity yet, but I guess I could settle for her district partner right now."

Tyroarius stops twirling the spear and locks his eyes on mine, a menacing snarl covering his face. "Run Cleo," I urge her. "He can't get us both." She pauses for a moment, looking at me with a conflicted, sorrowful expression. Then, she turns and dashes behind a tree right as Tyroarius charges toward me. Before I even tell my body to move, I'm back in the clearing again, sprinting in the direction of the stream. I have no idea why I'm going this way. There's three other armed tributes standing right next to the stream.

I don't make it to the other tributes, though. I barely even make it out of the clearing. Seconds after I begin running, I feel a jolt of searing pain in my chest. I look down to see the head of a spear poking out,stained scarlet with blood. I collapse to the ground, my head spinning and my vision going dark. The pain begins to fade, and I realize that death doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would.

 **Jade Platinum (D1 F 17)**

Right as I'm leaning down to scoop some water out of the stream, Lumiere, my district partner, comes crashing out of the woods with a look of terror on his face. A second later, Tyroarius comes bounding after him, a spear raised in his hand. Sable, Micah, and I remain frozen in shock as Ty releases the spear. It flies through the air and lands in Lumiere's back with a sickening crunch. Lumiere collapses, and a loud _BOOM_ shakes the arena.

"Let's get him," I tell my allies, but Micah is already one step ahead of me. Sable and I grab our weapons and follow Micah, sprinting toward Ty. Ty realizes the terrible mistake he's made and rushes for Lumiere's body. He grabs onto his spear and yanks it out with a quick tug. He turns back to us just in time to see Micah's axe sail through the air, straight toward his face.

Ty doesn't have enough time to duck. The axe lands in his head, right over his left eye, with a loud clunk. He staggers backwards, feels around for the axe handle, and pulls it out, unleashing a thick sea of red. He falls to the ground, the axe handle slipping out of his hand. A cannon echoes throughout the arena, and Ty moves no more.

For a moment, I'm frozen in shock. Did Micah really just eliminate the biggest threat in the arena? A grin spreads across my face as it begins to sink in. "You've done it, Micah," I tell him. "We're in the final six and our biggest enemy is gone."

"That was kind of stupid of him to run out here and throw his weapon," Micah says as he walks toward Ty's body. "I'm sure he knew we were out here."

"Yeah, well, Ty isn't exactly one of the smartest people I know," I say. "He was probably so focused on killing Lumiere that he forgot about the threat we posed to him."

"I wonder if that's why Lumiere ran out into the clearing," Micah says, reaching down for his axe. "I mean, when you're trying to flee from someone, running out into the open definitely isn't the place to go. Do you think Lumiere led Ty out here because he knew we could kill Ty?"

"Possibly," I say. "We'll never know for sure. But whether it was an accident or on purpose, we owe Lumiere a lot for bringing our biggest enemy right to us."

"I guess that means we're in the final six then," Sable says. "It seems like just yesterday we were entering the arena."

"It's hard to believe that the three of us make up half of the remaining tributes," Micah says, wiping off his axe in the grass. "It's just us and the girls from Three, Seven, and Ten. And none of them are huge threats."

"We can't overlook them, though," I remind Micah. "If they made it this far, they've got to have at least some sort of skill."

"Muna's definitely a tough girl," Sable says. "My district partner. She's only fifteen, but she did score a seven in training."

"And I think the girl from Seven also scored a seven," I add. "We still have to be careful, especially if the three of them are allied."

"Speaking of alliances, what are the three of us going to do?" Sable asks. "I mean, this is about the point when the Careers decide to split up and forge their own paths in the Games."

"I think we should wait," I say. "Until at least the feast. If those girls are allied, we need to keep our numbers. I don't know about you guys, but if I was alone and attacked by all three of them, I don't think I'd stand much of a chance."

"Yeah, let's wait until at least one more death," Micah says. "As much as I hate the idea of us killing each other, if I don't win, I'd want one of you to be the victor. So, I don't mind sticking together a little longer than normal."

We stand in silence for a few moments. Then, I take a deep breath and speak up. "Well, I guess we should finish filling up those water bottles and get back to camp." The guys nod. We turn around and head back for our bags, lying next to the stream. The feeling of elation I got from Tyroarius's death has disappeared. Now that our biggest threat is gone, I think we've all realized the inevitable: the three of us are going to have to kill each other in the end.

 **Muna Taylor (D10 F 15)**

Two cannons just went off within a minute of each other. Two! That's extremely rare this late in the Games (with the only exception being the feast). Hopefully, the Careers got into another fight and wiped out two of their own. At this point, though, I'm happy with any death. Most of the remaining tributes are strong and skilled anyways, so it really doesn't matter who's gone now.

I'm expecting the Gamemakers to do something to force us together pretty soon. This arena is way too big for six tributes, so they'll definitely do something to make the playing field smaller within the next day or two. Usually, they use either a "natural" disaster (fire, flood, etc.), mutts, or a feast. All of them are very effective, so there's no telling which method or combination of methods they'll use.

It's going to be getting dark soon, so I should probably move in toward the center of the arena and then settle in for the night. If the Gamemakers decide to do something tonight, I'd rather be near the center of the arena because that's where they'll probably force us. I won't go into to the clearing because that's likely where the Careers are stationed, but I'll get pretty close.

I did much better on food today than I've done during the past three days. I hit a squirrel with one of my throwing knives a few hours ago. After cooking it on a fire, I ate half of it and stored the other half in my bag for later. I also found a large bush of blackberries; I now have about three cups of them in my bag. Right now, my stomach feels fuller than it ever has since I split up with my allies. I have at least another day's worth of food too, so I'm definitely in good spot right now.

In terms of water, I'm definitely struggling more. Unfortunately, the only source of water seems to be the stream in the center of the arena. I've decided to visit the stream only once every other day because of the risk of stepping out into the open. I received a second water bottle along with some iodine as a sponsor gift yesterday, but they're both empty right now. Since I'm headed toward the center of the arena right now, I'll take a visit to the stream a bit later so that I'm under the cover of darkness.

After about an hour of walking, I reach the edge of the woods. I'll wait here for another hour, until all of the stars are out, and then head for the stream. I hang my bag on a tree branch and sit down against the trunk. Now, I just have to sit and wait. Staring out at the clearing, I see no sign of the Careers. They must be settled in a different part of the clearing. The coast seems clear, so getting water should be no issue.

A few minutes later, the Panem Anthem begins to play. I look up to the sky in anticipation, hoping to see some threats up there. First comes the boy from District One. I frown; he wasn't a threat at all. I'm actually surprised that he made it this far. When I see the face of the boy from District Two, my jaw drops. He was a gigantic threat! He was expected to win! How the heck did he die? This means the only tributes from Career districts left are the girl from One and the boy from Four. And the boy from Four didn't even ally with the Careers, which must mean the Career alliance has been completely dissolved.

The anthem ends, and a surprising feeling of relief washes over me. It seems like all of the alliances have dissolved. Mine and Valerie's is gone, the Careers' is gone, and my district partner Sable's is gone. That only leaves the girl from Seven, who must not have one either. As long as no new alliances have been created, the playing field has become much more level for me. I stand no change against an alliance of tributes, but against one, I could get lucky.

Thankfully, the moon is a very thin crescent tonight, which means there's a greater chance I'll go undetected. As soon as it's dark enough, I jog into the clearing with my two water bottles. I reach the stream and dunk my bottles in, making quick work of it. Once I've recapped them, I jog back to the woods and pull the small vial of iodine out of my bag. I'm too tired to wait for the water to purify, so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to rehydrate myself. I climb up into a tree and fall asleep within seconds.

 **Recap :**

 _ **The Fallen (2)**_ :

 **Lumiere Rutherford (D1 M 15) 8th Place**

Killed by Tyroarius. He was chased until a spear was thrown through his upper back.

 **Tyroarius Stryker (D2 M 18) 7th Place**

Killed by Micah. As he tried to retrieve his spear from Lumiere's body, an axe was thrown into his head.

 _ **Remaining Tributes (6):**_

 _ **D1**_ :

Jade Platinum (GalacticFairydust)

 _ **D3**_ :

Valerie Plasma (GalacticFairydust)

 _ **D4**_ :

Micah Islen (emimawi)

 _ **D7**_ :

Cleo Amorite (fifidear)

 _ **D10**_ :

Muna Taylor (KittyMae98)

Sable Maren (AaronIris34)

 _ **Kills**_ :

 **Tyroarius Stryker (6):** Mindi, Kiyata, Trenton, Jazper, Cole, Lumiere

 **Mileena Nero (3):** Logan, Jerry, Kairen

 **Jade Platinum (2):** Claire, Bebe

 **Micah Islen (2):** Jasmine, Tyroarius

 **Bebe Cora (1):** Lexi

 **Cole Fyre (1):** Mileena

 _ **Alliances:**_

Jade/Micah/Sable

Cleo

Valerie

Muna

 **Woah it's been months since I've posted two chapters within two weeks of each other, but I had more spare time than usual this week. It's hard to believe we're already down to the final six; we're so close to the end!**

 **Thanks for reading! :-)**


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